*The following article contains graphic subject matter. Viewer
discretion is advised. *
Well, well, well another miserable showing for Cleveland Browns
quarterback Deshaun Watson. To say he’s still elite… Not much to be
desired from an eye test. All the rumblings of “we’ve got our franchise
quarterback and finally solved this revolving door of misery?” I’m here
to tell you folks: might as well add Watson to the growing list of failed
quarterbacks who didn’t pan out.
Let’s start with what I call from the “fact and cap department”
Cleveland basically mortgage their future trading for Deshaun Watson
back in 2022. Kicking Baker Mayfield to the curb and going all in on a
guy who was facing twenty-four allegations for sexual assault while
playing for the Houston Texans. It became the story leading into a
turbulent exodus as Watson found himself defending his name and
character. Typical Browns front office, “We want an adult in the
building.”
How about we revisit this atrocious trade:
CLEAVELAND BROWNS: DESHAUN WATSON
HOUSTON TEXANS:
*2022 1 ST ROUND PICK (13 TH )
*2022 4 TH ROUND PICK (104 TH )
*2023 1 ST ROUND PICK (12 TH )
*2023 3 RD ROUND PICK (73 RD )
*2024 1 ST ROUND PICK (23 RD )
*2024 4 TH ROUND PICK (123 RD )
Houston couldn’t wait to get Watson out the building after signing him
to a contract extension prior to the 2019 season. They took the Browns
offer and used that capital in rebuilding a Super Bowl contender in the
AFC. Players like CJ Stroud, Will Anderson, Tank Dell, Damion Pierce. In
the process of Cleveland trading for Watson, giving him the richest
contract in league history Five years/$230 million dollars… FULLY
GUARANTEED!
Fans were like: “this won’t work and only the Browns would do
something of this magnitude.”
A guy whose spent more money on settling lawsuits than games played
doesn’t add up. The contract itself is arguably worse than any other NFL
contract outside of Russell Wilson’s massive extension with Denver the
same calendar year. Talk about serious buyer’s remorse and now trying
to figure out if cutting bait and avoiding the guaranteed years
remaining of this unorthodox contract.
The next two years of this deal will cost Cleveland roughly $150 million
dollars. But there is an out if the newest allegation which surfaced over
the last few days. If this proves to be true, the partnership can end.
Without merit, this boils down to Watson’s off the field issues and lack
of playing. Injuries, lawsuits, suspension and here we are back to
square one. To say Browns players don’t like him… The proof was
displayed Sunday afternoon upon their embarrassing home loss to
Dallas. No moral can save this team without Watson being benched.
The noise and sirens have sounded as players body language let it be
known with their displeasure with their quarterback’s play.
Cleveland Browns low self-esteem and failure to address the ever
revolving door of quarterbacks is well documented. Here’s a fact for
you: the Browns misery has totaled thirty-eight different quarterbacks
since returning to the NFL in 1999. Teams have won playoff games and
Super Bowls within that span! They draft well in other areas, but
quarterback isn’t their forte.
When the next young quarterback is selected to Cleveland, you’ve got a
lot working against and an incompetent front office and ownership. The
shelf life for Browns quarterbacks is roughly three seasons minimum.
Check the previous seasons and tell me something different… For
Deshaun Watson, the player from 2018-2020 is nowhere to be found.
2021-present has been a colossal failure and Cleveland has nobody to
blame but themselves. The Dawg House awaits Watson’s fate as this
new allegation will likely be an atrocious ending to a promising young
quarterback who was borderline top five in the NFL.
Stai tuned.
