The Cleveland Browns were so certain they'd figured out their quarterback problem that they mortgaged their future for a player who faced more than 20 accusations of sexual misconduct and what an NFL investigation would label as "predatory behavior." But in the three seasons since trading three first round picks and more for Deshaun Watson, the former Pro Bowler hasn't even been a top three quarterback on his own roster.
Watson's arrival was significant enough for team owner Jimmy Haslam to hand the young QB an unprecedented, fully guaranteed $230 million contract extension -- to this date, still the most guaranteed money at signing than anyone else in the NFL by more than $80 million. He rewarded this faith by missing games due to a combination of league discipline and injuries. When he's been on the field, his -0.118 expected points added (EPA) per dropback ranks 55th out of 57 quarterbacks to play at least 320 snaps since 2022.
He's been worse than Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder or Davis Mills. He's played one more NFL game since 2022 than Tom Brady, who retired in 2023. Cleveland's lone playoff appearance since the trade was started by Joe Flacco, who won comeback player of the year honors that winter thanks to Watson's lack of availability. He missed the bulk of 2024 with a torn Achilles, then suffered a setback in 2025 that will likely keep him out for the upcoming season as well.
This is all overwhelming evidence in favor of what may be the worst trade in NFL history. Despite Watson still being on the roster (and just 29 years old), Haslam admitted as much at the league's annual meeting.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on the team’s trade for Deshaun Watson: “We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun. We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole. … (the trade) was an entire…
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 31, 2025
“We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun," said Haslam. "We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole.
"[The trade] was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee [Haslam, his wife] and I, so hold us accountable.”
Haslam's effort to reverse the history that's doomed his franchise instead prolonged it. It will continue to do so, because Watson's foolishly guaranteed contract makes him nearly impossible to move on from. Per Over the Cap, the team cannot generate any meaningful savings by releasing him in any of the next three seasons. He's set to count $81 million against the 2026 salary cap, which means the team will be restructuring -- or possibly even extending -- his deal just to keep him from eating up more than 27 percent of the team's spending room next spring.
Accountability is nice. Solutions would be nicer. But fixing Watson is an unprecedented task, from his play on the field to the onerous -- and again, it has to be said, completely unprecedented -- contract he signed before he even took a snap in Cleveland. ...
