The Cleveland Browns haven’t been able to catch a break with Deshaun Watson.
Now, the former Houston Texans star has undergone a second surgery to recover from his Achilles injury, and he’s in danger of missing the entirety of the upcoming campaign.
With that in mind, NFL insider Ari Meirov revisited the trade that brought him to Cleveland and labeled it the worst trade in history.
“Watson has played just 19 games through the first three years of the deal and is set to miss most, if not all, of the fourth year. Has arguably been the worst trade in NFL history,” Meirov said.
Revisiting the Deshaun Watson trade:
**Texans received:**
– 2022 1st-round pick
– 2022 4th-round pick
– 2023 1st-round pick
– 2023 3rd-round pick
– 2024 1st-round pick
– 2024 4th-round pick**Browns received:**
– Deshaun Watson
– 2024 6th-round pickThe… pic.twitter.com/i50WN5PwsG
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 10, 2025
The Houston Texans got three first-round picks, one third-round pick, and two fourth-round picks for Watson.
Furthermore, the Browns’ signing him to a five-year contract worth $230 million truly doomed them.
The contract was fully guaranteed, no matter what.
Watson has now been able to play just 19 games in three years with the organization, going 9-10.
There have also been plenty of worrisome reports regarding his leadership – or lack thereof – in the organization, to the point that some insiders believe he no longer cares.
His legal situation off the field and all the allegations against him made him a difficult player to trade for, and it’s also easy to understand why some fans never seemed to be rooting for his success.
The only silver lining is that if he misses the entire upcoming campaign, the Browns could be eligible for some salary cap relief, which would allow them to sign other players in the offseason.
Other than that, the decision to trade for Watson has only drawn negative attention and results.
NEXT: Insider Reveals 1 Player Browns Should Avoid With No. 2 Pick
