Deshaun Watson trade

Deshaun Watson with the Cleveland Browns during training camp in 2023.
QB Deshaun Watson with the Cleveland Browns in 2023, following his trade from the Houston Texans.

The Deshaun Watson trade was a significant National Football League trade made on March 18, 2022, centered on sending quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns. The quarterback and a Texans 2024 sixth round selection was exchanged for Cleveland's 2022 first and fourth round selections, 2023 first and third round selections, and 2024 first and fourth round selections.[1]

The trade and ensuing contract granting Deshaun Watson $230 million in guaranteed payment is currently considered by many sports media outlets and analysts as one of, if not the worst trade in the history of the NFL on the Browns' side.[2][3][4][5][6] This is in part due to the severe lopsidedness of the first round picks granted to Texas that were used to draft several Pro-bowlers and starting players including Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. paired with Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback C. J. Stroud, relative to Deshaun Watson's repeated season-ending injuries and worse-than-expected quarterback play while healthy. The trade was also considered among the worst trades due to it occurring in the midst of a series of sexual assault lawsuits filed against Watson, with many outlets describing the trade as bringing significant baggage to the Cleveland Browns team and making it and its organization much more difficult to support on an ethical basis.[2][5][6]

  1. ^ Helmkamp, Jon (March 18, 2022). "Deshaun Watson traded to Browns in massive NFL surprise". New York Post. New York: News Corp. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Deshaun Watson trade and contract the worst in NFL history? Browns QB gets off to rocky start in Week 1". CBSSports.com. 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  3. ^ Dator, James (2023-10-23). "Deshaun Watson is the worst trade in NFL history". SBNation.com. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  4. ^ "NFL Analyst Reveals Brutal Breakdown of Browns QB Deshaun Watson's Failures". Cleveland Browns On SI. 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  5. ^ a b Beaton, Andrew (12 September 2024). "It's One of the NFL's Most Disastrous Trades—and It Keeps Getting Worse". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Analysis | Deshaun Watson's ineptitude is still dragging down the Browns". Washington Post. 2024-09-12. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-09-13.