Debunking Myths About Deshaun Watson Trade Debate

In this episode of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, we're debunking myths about the Deshaun Watson debate between the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans trade. Catch all the latest NFL news and analysis right here on the Ultimate Browns Show!
The Browns’ blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson is finally over from the standpoint of the boatload of picks they sent to the Texans in the blockbuster deal in 2022. The three-year odyssey ended on Saturday afternoon when the Texans selected Ohio State tight end Cade Stover with the 2024 fourth-round pick from the Browns in that massive haul. The Watson deal made for three straight boring Thursday nights of the draft, with the Browns giving up the following picks: their first-rounders in 2022, 2023, and 2024, a third-round pick in 2023, and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024.
The Browns got Watson and a sixth-round pick in 2024, No. 203, which they sent to the Broncos in the Jerry Jeudy trade. They also sent a fifth-rounder from the Baker Mayfield trade with Carolina to the Broncos for Jeudy.
First round 2022: Offensive guard Kenyon Green after a trade down from No. 13 to No. 15.
First round 2023: Defensive end Will Anderson, after Houston used the original No. 12 pick as part of a package to move up to No. 3 with Arizona.
First round 2024: Texans traded the Browns’ first round pick, 23 overall, to the Vikings. They selected cornerback Kamari Lassiter with the second round pick from that trade, and linebacker Jamal Hill with the sixth-rounder.
Fourth round 2022: running back Dameon Pierce, pick 107.
Third round 2023: wide receiver Tank Dell after a trade up with Rams.
Fourth round 2024: Tight end Cade Stover, No. 123.
For all of that, the Browns have gotten only 12 starts out of Watson, with an 8-4 record, 3-3 in 2022 after his 11-game suspension and 5-1 last season after he suffered shoulder injuries that cost him 11 games.
He’s currently rehabbing from surgery to repair the fractured glenoid bone and partially torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder, but expects to come back better than ever by the start of this season. If he does, he’ll have a chance to salvage the trade. Heading into the third year of his fully guaranteed $230 million contract worth an average of $46 million a year, Watson is tasked with winning Super Bowls for the Browns with a loaded roster.
Meanwhile, the Texans’ have gotten some excellent production out of some of their “Watson” picks, and not so much from others.
Anderson, the rising star of the Texans’ defense, earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors in 2023, and had a sack and three tackles in the 45-14 playoff victory over the Browns in January.
Dell was off to a rousing start as a rookie in 2023 before suffering a season-ending fractured fibula in Week 13. Picked five spots before the Browns selected Cedric Tillman out of Tennessee with the No. 74 pick in the third round, Dell caught 47 of 75 targets (62.7%) passes for 709 yards and seven TDs in his 11 games, with eight starts.
Tillman, who played in 14 games with three starts, caught 21 of 44 targets (40.9) for 224 yards and 0 TDs, but the Browns have high expectations for him in 2024.
Dell (5-10, 165) was on pace for 1,205 yards and 11 TDs before the injury, with Dell and fellow rookie C.J. Stroud combining for the eighth-most passing yards (709) in NFL history by a first-year QB and receiver.
As for the Texans’ “Watson” picks from 2022 - Green and Pierce - they haven’t fared as well.
Green, out of Texas A&M, started 14 games as a rookie, but missed all of 2023 after suffering a shoulder injury in the final preseason game. In 2022, his 13% pressure rate was worst among left guards, according to Next Gen Stats.
Pierce got out to a torrid start as a rookie, rushing for 939 and four TDs in 13 games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry. In 2023, he lost his starting job to Devin Singletary, rushing for only 416 yards, a 2.8-yard average and two TDs. His claim to fame in 2023 was his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown during the Browns’ 36-22 victory in Houston on Christmas Eve. The TD cost the Browns their Pro Bowl-caliber kicker in Dustin Hopkins, who pulled a hamstring bolting after Pierce on the return.
Based on the sheer number of players the Texans got, it currently looks like Houston in a landslide. But if Watson can return to his Pro Bowl form, and perhaps beat the Texans on a last-minute touchdown pass to Jeudy in the AFC Championship Game en route to a Super Bowl victory, the Browns can still claim victory.
The picks are done, but the trade is far from over.
#nfl #browns #ucss #clevelandbrowns #brownsnews #cleveland #deshaunwatson
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[@someperson8151]

It's worth it if Cleveland wins a Super Bowl, but does it look like that will come true?

[@dervon]

i need this G Bush on the show! straight facts no shenanigans . and they be trying to make it seem like bush be overly bias, look at the history it’s right there

[@bobbythorton7693]

it's one of the worst trades like bottom 10 I would not say it's the very worst

[@masterrace4005]

230mil. Fully guaranteed!!🤣🤣🤡

[@Wesmancan]

It doesn’t need examination. It needs undone. All or nothing this season. He won’t even play the full season. Bad trade and stupid of Cleveland

[@ANtA585]

Thanks for talking about this. There is nothing in the way of the Browns picking up talent even with this contract. People have short memories of the quarterbacks that we've drafted year after year in the top 5. He has a winning overall record when on the field. Yes, I would love to see on the field more, but it's football.

[@ChiefDank]

I’m not buying it bro nobody else traded for a player who started off suspended this throwing the first year away also not even taking into consideration the fact he has not played and taken hits who knew a injury was coming 🙋 I did another year wasted not to mention the fact he bought some very sketchy character attributes and media hate with him it’s a lot for three years of nothing you also failed to mention Watson had turned Cleveland down once already and only changed his mind when he realized nobody else wanted the problems or to pay the money it’s definitely the worst trade when the guy didn’t want us to begin with

[@Rerpesentz]

he's played 12 games with 2000 yards and 14 touchdowns for three years of 1st, it's a bad bad trade for sure

[@ChiefDank]

@@Rerpesentz I think I also should of added he still has this year he could turn it all around it still has a chance of not being the worst trade but as of now it is

[@ronaldleone9038]

Shut up dude. Stop crying cause you don't like him/or what he did. You must have forgotten that you over pay for free agency or trades. Also the fact that he was in a bidding war with 14 other teams, when he turned down Cleveland only then did the number of teams go to 3-4. So don't say nobody else wanted to trade for him. For us to jump the other teams that's what it took. Now I wish he would play better, but I'm not mad my team tried to trade for at the time a top 5 qb. I hope this doesn't scare them off for a next time

[@bobbythorton7693]

it's not the worst trade in NFL history but bottom 10 at least. Making it still a very horrible trade, it's also because the huge contract he signed on a already superbowl team. If Baker stayed good chance browns have a superbowl.

[@KSto22]

G bush!! We up early wit it 💪🏽

[@aaronbutler9373]

Baltimore stay laughing at you.

[@goatj83]

Browns fans in denial 😂

[@dakid3429]

Why are you doing this? To argue that we're not the worse so far? You come home with a D- and you argue that some got an F ,so it's not that bad? So far it's underwhelming. So far, the tragedy is not to have the QB position locked down. But, time well tell. If Watson doesn't or can't perform at least at or above average, we will walk the tightrope of staying with mediocrity or taking a step back with a new QB.

[@kevinjohnson1588]

Haters will always hate period. If you hate Deshaun Watson that much more than liking supposedly your favorite team in football then, don't watch cleveland until Deshaun leaves the browns, obviously you were never a real Cleveland browns fan. Players come and go all the time the team is there until the end of time. It's not changing for at least 2 more years I can't believe people like to keep crying about this your life must be so sad hope for the best believe in the browns. Unless he gets hurt again he is the QB and rooting against him means you want the browns to lose as well. What kind of sense does that make? Please help me understand that type of thinking. Again if you dislike the brother that much find another team to root for bc ya'll sound silly continuing to keep talking about something that you can't change no matter what until at least 2 more years.

[@ChiefDank]

Saying the trade is the worst trade is not hating on Watson so far he’s done nothing to prove anyone wrong my guy so far he’s been suspended a year and injured the next it’s a bad trade right now not because his name is Watson it’s because dude can’t stay on the field if you want to run PR for Watson at least get paid for it your comment is so silly it has nothing to do with Watson as a person it’s the facts and the facts are he has missed the last 3 seasons of football 2021 benched by Texans never played a snap 2022 suspended 2023 injured miss me with that it’s hating on Watson crap the fact is he hasn’t produced and three first round picks and what 300 million is not worth it for what he’s given now with that’s said he can turn it around and ball out making the trade worth it there still time and I hope he does and I know he can if he focuses and stays healthy but as far as simping for this dude beat it bro the guy better ball or kick rocks to the UFL the problem is your side of the fan base that’s is ok with bad decisions by this organization your the reason the ownership is never held accountable and thus has not won Super Bowl as a fan I was never ok with this decision and we have every right not to be as of now he’s done nothing to warrant this being a good decision by the Cleveland browns 😂 let’s just hope he stays healthy this year especially since the guy Houston in Houston now looks like the guy that there in 2020 even more salt on the wound

[@kevinjohnson1588]

Exactly hope he does well and do the best they can what good is complaining you can't change nothing big dog so just chill and relax if ya'll side could change something you would have also sso stop complaining and root for the team you watch. Like I said it ain't about Deshaun brah Cleveland needs to win and he is the QB for now understand.

[@ChiefDank]

@@kevinjohnson1588 so then stop complaining here we look at stats not feelings there plenty other forums you can go to simp for Watson and bash your own fan base just don’t do it here….understand

[@ChiefDank]

@@kevinjohnson1588 I mean haters gonna hate you say well yeah bro of corse they are gonna hate what has he done to silence them nothing jumping in here where the topic is was the trade worth it up to this point and arguing people hate on him just to hate on him makes no sense the topic is the trade not Watson so far up to this point is been a very bad trade

[@kevinjohnson1588]

@@ChiefDank feelings that is silly your conversation is complaining about something you or nobody can change for the time being you have other outlets also do you know that

[@doncompass57]

So now in the 3rd year of this disaster you feel you have to still justify the trade. There is no justifying this trade anymore. It's done. You have no positives to talk about DW over the last 2 years because he's a failure. Keep holding on man and keep on trying to sell us on DW but it is falling flat because there is nothing to point to in the last 2 years that leads to the faux enthusiasm you guys are all displaying

[@brainspin7518]

There are two ways to justify this potential train wreck of a trade so far & that would be 1). win the division outright (no tie or tiebreaker type b.s.) & this would be en route to ...#2). get the Browns to the Super Bowl (winning it would fully erase any doubt). Anything less is a failure as far as the trade/value is concerned imo.