The Cleveland Browns looked ready to move on from Deshaun Watson even before he suffered a setback in his recovery.
Watson hasn’t played well in Cleveland.
He’s been hurt and suspended, and there have been worrisome reports about how he’s perceived in the locker room.
Having said all that, he’s still under contract; thus, he’s still an asset.
That’s why NFL analyst Max Loeb believes there’s still a chance we’ll get to see him again.
Talking on the “Honor The Land” podcast, he believes that team owner Jimmy Haslam could force the coaching staff to play Watson down the stretch this season, just to try and drive his trade value up:
“What if Jimmy Haslam comes down and says, ‘Look, this season is a lost cause. Just throw Deshaun [Watson] out there. Let’s see if we have anything. Let’s see if we can get another pick for him,'” Loeb said. “The door has not closed fully. It’s the closest it’s ever been, but it’s not closed. [Jimmy Haslam] would probably lean, in a meaningless Week 18 game after both those rookies have played (assuming), to Deshaun Watson.”
Max thinks the only way we see Deshaun Watson in a #Browns uniform again is through a Joe Milton-esque Week 18 scenario.
"Let's see if we have anything – let's see if we can get another pick for him."
– @loebsleads | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/HzLFwHrhur
— Honor The Land (@honortheland) May 23, 2025
That makes sense from an asset-management perspective, but it would also require Watson to be back to full strength, which is a big if.
That would also require the team to make room for him on the roster.
But more importantly, it would also mean that Haslam would essentially be backpedaling after stating that the team made a mistake when they traded for Watson.
Even if Watson were to play and even if he were to ball out in a meaningless Week 18 game, it would still be very difficult to find someone willing to trade for him.
If anything, the Browns could wait until next offseason to finally cut him and lessen the massive financial blow that could come with that decision.
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