Revisiting Deshaun Watson trade two years later: Texans fleece Browns by capitalizing on major draft capital

[Auggie]

cbssports.com / Nov. 6, 2023

SNIP

Based on Watson's performance and injury history, the Browns made a bad trade. What the Texans got in return only makes the deal that much worse for Cleveland.

What the Texans received
2022 first-round pick: G Kenyon Green (via trade)
2023 first-round pick: DE Will Anderson Jr. (via trade)
2024 first-round pick: TBD
2023 third-round pick: WR Tank Dell (via trade)
2024 fifth-round pick: TBD

The Texans used some creative maneuvering of draft picks to get three lynchpins for their franchise thanks to having extra first-round picks as part of the Watson deal. Houston selected Green after originally having the No. 13 pick from Cleveland, but the Texans traded down two spots with the Philadelphia Eagles and selected Green at No. 15 overall. The Texans also received the 124th, 162nd and 166th overall selections from the Eagles, which they actually used in a series of other deals to land wide receiver John Metchie III (second round), linebacker Christian Harris (third round), running back Dameon Pierce (fourth round) and Thomas Booker (fifth round).

With the 2023 first-round pick, the Texans traded up with the Arizona Cardinals to draft Anderson -- right after they selected C.J. Stroud with their own pick at No. 2 overall. Houston also ended up receiving Arizona's fourth-round pick, but traded it to Philadelphia for a 2024 third-round pick.

Houston traded up four spots to land Dell at the No. 69 pick from the Los Angeles Rams, getting a key wideout for Stroud in the process. The Texans also exchanged sixth-round picks and used that pick to acquire two seventh-round picks. One of the seventh-round picks they used to select safety Brandon Hill. Houston used the other seventh-round pick to trade back up into the sixth round and select wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/revisiting-deshaun-watson-trade-two-years-later-texans-fleece-browns-by-capitalizing-on-major-draft-capital/

Players the Texans landed in the Watson deal after their draft trades ... so far:

Kenyon Green
John Metchie III
Christian Harris
Dameon Pierce
Thomas Booker
Will Anderson
Tank Dell
Brandon Hill
Xavier Hutchinson
2024 first-round pick
2024 third-round pick

Meanwhile (as the link explains and as we all know), Cleveland paid Watson $230 million in fully guaranteed money -- a $63.977 million cap hit over the next three years.

All this for a QB who has made 12 starts, completed 59.8% of his passes for 2,217 yards and 14 touchdowns to nine interceptions (81.7 rating). Watson has averaged just 184.8 pass yards a game with the Browns.

Cleveland can't even get out of the Watson deal until 2027. The Browns would pay a $136.9 million cap penalty in 2024 or a $73 million cap penalty in 2025 by releasing him.

Maybe Watson recovers from injuries and proves all this wrong. But IMO the Texans are poised to compete for years. Browns not so much.