In 2023, the Cleveland Browns made a significant move to improve their losing record by acquiring Deshaun Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. However, this decision did not yield the desired results as Watson’s performance fell short of expectations. He failed to showcase the same level of skill he had demonstrated during his time with the Houston Texans, where he was considered a near-elite player. Additionally, Watson faced an 11-game suspension in 2022 due to numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. Many now believe that the Browns made a major error in trading for him. Mike Tannenbaum, a former executive of the New York Jets, even suggested on ESPN’s “Get Up” that the Browns should trade Watson to the New York Giants in exchange for Daniel Jones and a second-round draft pick.
In his final season with the Houston Texans, Watson led the NFL in passing yards, threw 33 touchdown passes, completed 70.2 percent of his pass attempts, and had a low interception rate. However, since joining the Browns, his performance has been far from satisfactory, resembling that of an inadequate backup quarterback. Despite suffering a season-ending shoulder injury midway through the season, the Browns managed to secure wins with the help of veteran QB Joe Flacco, who came out of near retirement and led the team to a four-game winning streak.
On the other hand, Jones has always been a subpar passer, and he only played six games in the current season before sustaining a torn ACL. Surprisingly, even without Watson and star running back Nick Chubb, who suffered a severe season-ending injury in Week 2, the Browns managed to reach the playoffs for only the third time since their return in 1999. However, for them to have a chance at postseason success next season, they will need both Watson and Chubb to return to their previous form, unless they decide to follow Tannenbaum’s suggestion and trade Watson.
According to the Source thecoldwire.com