Deshaun Watson may be looking for any support he can get as he tries to become the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback this season. Though it may not have anything to do with their trade for Tytus Howard, it could be a benefit of adding the former Houston Texans offensive lineman.
Watson and Howard were teammates with the Texans for three seasons, though, because of sexual assault allegations involving the QB, they were on the field together for only two of them.
Perhaps fortunately for Cleveland, they were two of Watson’s best seasons with Houston. He made the Pro Bowl each year, and he led the NFL in passing yards once.
Howard recently opened up about reuniting with Watson, saying it was a “great experience” blocking for him in the past.
“New Browns T Tytus Howard on reuniting with Deshaun Watson: It was great experience blocking for Deshaun,” Scott Petrak posted on X.
New Browns T Tytus Howard on reuniting with Deshaun Watson: It was great experience blocking for Deshaun.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) March 16, 2026
Howard arrived in Houston as the No. 23 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Watson was about to begin his third year in the league after he was the No. 12 pick in the 2017 draft, which was when the Browns selected Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall.
With Howard appearing in eight games as a rookie, Watson’s sacks taken dropped from a league-high 62 the season before to a more manageable 44. Then in 2020, when Howard started 14 games, the quarterback took 49 sacks but led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards.
Unfortunately for the Texans and Watson, things deteriorated from there. He was kept on the sidelines for the entire 2021 season due to his off-field troubles, and the Texans then traded him to the Browns in March 2022.
From there, his tenure in Cleveland began with a lengthy NFL suspension, and a series of season-ending injuries followed. Watson has played in 19 games for Cleveland over four seasons after receiving a record-breaking $230 million guaranteed contract.
Now, despite all odds, Watson has a legitimate chance to win a quarterback competition against Shedeur Sanders and emerge as Cleveland’s starter. If he does, Howard is likely to be his right tackle on a rebuilt offensive line that includes free agent acquisitions, Zion Johnson, and Elgton Jenkins.
If Watson can come close to the success he had previously with Howard, it would benefit not only them but the entire Browns organization.
NEXT: Quincy Williams Reacts To Seeing His Browns Jersey For First Time
