Tag: Deshaun Watson trade

Is former Texans QB Deshaun Watson’s career over with Browns?

Deshaun Watson’s season, and potentially time in Cleveland with the Browns, is over.

Deshaun Watson’s season is over.

Potentially, so is his time in Cleveland.

The former Houston Texans and current Browns quarterback suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during Sunday’s 21-14 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals and will miss the rest of the 2024 season.

Just after the two-minute warning, Watson dropped to the ground and grabbed at the back of his leg. He was loaded onto a cart and greeted by several of his teammates, who came over to offer their condolences.

As being taken back to the locker room, it appeared that Watson was crying as he wiped his face with a towel. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the injury did look like a season-ender even before the MRI.

Multiple players also called out Browns fans for booing the former Pro Bowl passer as he was being carted off.

“We don’t boo guys that are injured on the field, especially when the cart comes out,” defensive end Myles Garrett told reporters. “We should be ashamed of ourselves as Browns and as fans to boo anyone and their downfall.”

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It’s clear the Texans walk away as winners from the Watson trade orchestrated in the 2022 offseason. After missing most of the 2022 season due to suspension, Watson struggled in 2023.

Entering Sunday’s game, Watson had the lowest passer rating among all qualified quarterbacks. Through six games, Watson had totaled 1,020 yards passing with five touchdowns against three interceptions.

He also led the Browns to a 1-5 record.

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Even if Cleveland were to cut ties with Watson, it still would owe him $46 million in each of the next two seasons after Browns owner Jimmy Haslam dished out a new $230 million guaranteed contract following the trade. Meanwhile, Houston just finished using all the draft capital acquired in the deal and sits at 5-2.

Houston has a future with a new quarterback in C.J. Stroud, who remains in the hunt for the MVP conversation as the Texans return to NRG Stadium for their Week 8 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

Cleveland, which traded for Watson to shore up its quarterback situation, returns to the drawing board to find its long-term answer.

Texans VP Hannah McNair takes delightful dig at Cleveland Browns heading

Hannah McNair is making sure Houston Texans are saying thanks to the Cleveland Browns heading into 2024.

Cal McNair keeps a stern face whenever addressing something surrounding the Houston Texans. 

Hannah McNair isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers. 

As the Houston Texans prepare for what looks to be a promising 2024 season, the McNairs continue to see their popularity rise. Cal, who was named the majority owner during last year’s owner’s meetings, continues to win over the fans with his social media presence. 

Hannah McNair, however, truly has embraced the H-Town culture, going so far as to take a few playful jabs at other teams. Recently on The Ultimate Fan Experience with Texans super fan Steve Beckholt, Hannah said Houston fans should actually be friendly toward the Cleveland Browns. 

Why? 

“Have you thanked a Brown lately,” Hannah told Beckholt. “I thank them for all of our players.”  

Players? What? What are you talking about, Hannah? 

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Thanks to the infamous Deshaun Watson trade of 2022, the Texans were primed with enough draft capital to secure top-end talent en route to being considered a threat in the AFC. Watson, the expected franchise quarterback for the AFC South club, demanded a trade following the 2020 COVID-19 season after Houston hired Nick Caserio and David Culley. 

After dealing with a year’s worth of lawsuits, the Texans obliged, sending Watson to Cleveland in exchange for six total draft picks, including three first-round selections. 

Let’s look back and see how all six picks were used: 

  • The 2022 first (13) was traded to the Eagles for Nos. 15, 124, 162, and 166. Two picks later, the Texans drafted OL Kenyon Green
  • Pick No. 124 was subsequently traded to the Browns with 68 and 108 for No. 44 to draft WR John Metchie III
  • Pick No. 162 was subsequently traded to the Broncos with 80 for No. 75 to draft LB Christian Harris
  • Pick No. 166 was subsequently traded to the Bears with 207 for No. 150 to select DL Thomas Booker
  • The 2022 fourth (104) was used on RB Dameon Pierce
  • The 2023 first (12) was traded to the Cardinals with pick No. 33 and Houston’s first-round pick for Nos. 3 and 105. The Texans would select Defensive Rookie of the Year and DE Will Anderson Jr. 
  • Pick No. 105 was subsequently traded to the Eagles for a 2024 third-round pick, which was later used to select DB Calen Bullock
  • The 2023 third (73) was traded to the Rams with 161 for No. 69, which was used to select WR Tank Dell
  • The 2024 1st (23) was traded to the Vikings with 232 for Nos. 42, 188, and MIN’s 2025 2nd. Pick No. 42 later became CB Kamari Lassiter, while pick No. 188 became LB Jamal Hill. The 2025 2nd-round pick was later used to land four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs. 
  • The 2024 fourth (123) was traded to the Eagles and then back to the Texans to land TE Cade Stover. 

Booker is the only player not a part of the Texans. Harris, Green and Dell are key starters at their respective positions, while Anderson is the foundation of Houston’s pass rush. 

Lassiter and Bullock are expected to be long-term starters in the secondary next to Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward. Stover, who was C.J. Stroud’s security blanket at Ohio State, should factor in the passing game in some capacity as a rookie before expanding his role. Hill and Pierce are high-end backups who could start at any moment. 

And Watson? He’s missed 11 games in each of his first two seasons with the Browns, due to suspension and injuries. In the 12 starts he’s made over two seasons, he’s thrown 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions while posting an 8-4 record. 

The Texans also bettered their draft pick used in the Anderson trade to Arizona by beating Cleveland 45-14 in the wild-card round last season. Stroud, the franchise’s future, became the youngest passer in league history to win a playoff game en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. 

So yes, thank a Browns fan if you know one, Texans nation. Those are Hannah’s orders and we follow whatever she says. 

The six worst trades in NFL history

There have been some rubbish trades in NFL history where one side was severely let down while the other teams stroked their mustaches and let out evil laughs.

Well, I wonder why we’re doing this specific list today.

Yes, a certain quarterback was just shut down for the season, and we’ll talk more about him shortly. But that reminded us that there have been some rubbish trades in NFL history where one side was severely let down while the other team stroked their mustache and let out an evil laugh. These are the six worst trades in NFL history.

Texans vs. Browns live blog: 27-14 Browns, FINAL

The Houston Texans take on the Cleveland Browns as Deshaun Watson returns to NRG Stadium. Follow along for all of the action.

The Houston Texans take on the Cleveland Browns Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium.

Deshaun Watson returns to NRG Stadium as the starting quarterback for the Browns. Watson says he has nothing but love and respect for the Texans and the McNair family.

The Texans could actually use a win. No, it doesn’t affect their proprietary first-round draft pick as they are woefully “ahead” for securing the No. 1 overall pick. However, they do have Cleveland’s, and a loss helps improve that draft pick’s positioning.

Following along for all of the action from NRG Stadium.

 

First quarter

15:00 — Houston gets the ball first.

14:53 — QB Kyle Allen throws a deep ball intended for TE Teagan Quitoriano that the rookie can’t exactly corral, but the ball appears to bounce into the air and picked off by the Browns. Ruling on the field is an incomplete pass as the ground caused the ball to bounce. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski challenged the play.

14:53 — The ruling on the field is an interception. S John Johnson is ruled to have intercepted the ball. First down Browns.

14:19 — On third-and-3 from the 50-yard line, QB Deshaun Watson scrambles and throws incomplete as WR David Bell can’t hang onto the ball. Houston turns Cleveland three-and-out.

12:51 — On third-and-3 from the Houston 28, Allen looks for TE Jordan Akins and the pass falls incomplete. RT Tytus Howard gets flagged for holding DE Myles Garrett, and the Browns decline the penalty.

11:53 — Watson pulls his magic and gets out of a sack to hit WR Anthony Schwartz. However, CB Tavierre Thomas strips Schwartz and CB Desmond King recovers at the Houston 49 and returns it to the Browns’ 38-yard line.

9:25 — TE Brevin Jordan incurs a face mask penalty on first-and-10 from the Browns’ 16-yard line.

9:20 — Houston has to face a first-and-25 from the Cleveland 31, which they compound with a false start penalty by Howard.

8:06 — The penalties ultimately doom Houston’s chances of punching it into the end zone. However, K Ka’imi Fairbairn hits a 44-yard-field goal to give Houston an early lead. 3-0, Texans

6:40 — Watson connects with RB Kareem Hunt on a 7-yard pass on third-and-6 from the Cleveland 38.

5:04 — The Browns handoff to TE Harrison Bryant for an 8-yard gain on third-and-1 from the Texans’ 46-yard line.

3:33 — Watson throws a late ball over the middle from the Texans’ 11-yard line on first-and-10. S Jalen Pitre picks off the pass and returns it to the Houston 26-yard line.

 

Second quarter

13:06 — With the free Watson interception, Houston gets to fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Allen rolls out to his left and dumps off to FB Troy Hairston, who gets blown up at the goal line and drops the ball incomplete. Hairston was injured on the play.

12:00 — The Texans’ defensive line corralled RB Nick Chubb, but DT Roy Lopez gets the credit as the ruling on the field is a safety. 5-0, Texans

9:46 — The Texans punt the ball with their possession off the free kick, and they back up the Browns to their own 1-yard line.

6:11 — Chubb gets one yard on third-and-2 from the Cleveland 35-yard line, which forces the Browns to punt.

4:37 — The Texans go three-and-out as Allen dumps off to RB Dare Ogunbowale for six yards on a third-and-8 from the Houston 10-yard.

4:00 — WR Donovan Peoples-Jones returns a 60-yard P Cam Johnston punt 76 yards for a touchdown. Extra point is good. 7-5, Browns

2:00 — On third-and-2 from the Cleveland 46-yard line, Allen and RB Dameon Pierce blow an RPO handoff and Allen has to fall on the ball at the 50-yard line.

0:49 — Watson appears to throw the ball backward, which the Texans recover for a touchdown, but the ruling on the field is an incomplete pass on third-and-4 from the Browns’ 27-yard line.

0:23 — Allen dumps off to Ogunbowale for seven yards on third-and-10 from the Houston 26.

 

Halftime

Stats

TEXANS

Allen: 12/23, 101 yards, INT

Pierce: 11 carries, 57 yards; 2 catches, 15 yards

Akins: 3 catches, 21 yards

Pitre: 5 tackles, INT, pass breakup

 

BROWNS

Watson: 8/14, 96 yards, INT

Chubb: 8 carries, 37 yards

Peoples-Jones: 2 catches, 41 yards; 2 punt returns, 82 yards, TD

 

Third quarter

15:00 — The Browns get the ball to start the third quarter.

12:53 — On third-and-4 from the Cleveland 37-yard line, WR Amari Cooper catches a 13-yard pass from Watson for a first down.

10:52 — Watson throws short for Cooper on a third-and-6 from the Houston 46.

10:10 — Allen sneaks, loses the ball, CB Denzel Ward recovers, and returns it four yards for a touchdown. Extra point is good. 14-5, Browns

5:51 — On a third-and-3 from the Cleveland 15-yard line, Pierce loses two yards on a pitch.

5:08 — Fairbairn hits a 35-yard field goal. 14-8, Browns

2:22 — On a third-and-5 from the 50, the Texans defense comes up with a sack of Watson. Credit goes to DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.

 

Fourth quarter

13:38 — Watson completes to Cooper for a 10-yard gain on a third-and-7 from the Texans’ 49-yard line.

9:36 — K Cade York hits a 43-yard field goal. 17-8, Browns

9:30 — Allen’s pass gets tipped and plucked out of the air and returned by LB Tony Fields for 16 yards for a touchdown. 24-8, Browns

4:03 — York hits a 42-yard field goal. 27-8, Browns

2:00 — WR Nico Collins catches a 6-yard touchdown pass. Allen’s pass on the two-point attempt falls incomplete. 27-14, Browns

 

Injuries

2nd Quarter, 13:06 — FB Troy Hairston went down holding his groin area. Hairston was helped to the locker room. The Texans stated Hairston was questionable with a rib injury.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson suspended 11 games; returns against the Texans

Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson has been suspended 11 games, and his first game back is Week 13 at the Houston Texans.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s suspension was increased from six games to 11 games Thursday.

According to Aaron Wilson from the Pro Football Network, the suspension is the result of a negotiation between the NFL and the NFLPA regarding a personal conduct policy matter. Watson will pay a $5 million fine and also be subject to mandatory counseling as part of the settlement.

With Watson getting 11 games, that means that his first NFL game since Jan. 3, 2021, will be in the same venue: NRG Stadium. Watson’s first game back is Week 13 at the Houston Texans.

Watson originally was suspended six games at the beginning of August surrounding multiple lawsuits from women who allege he committed sexual assault.

The former 2017 first-round pick from Clemson was the solution to the Texans’ quarterback woes. However, the three-time Pro Bowler became disgruntled with the direction of the franchise following the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio and coach David Culley in January 2021.

The sexual assault allegations began in March 2021 on the eve of free agency and the new league year. The Texans rostered Watson on their 53-man squad for the entire 2021 season; the 2020 NFL passing champion was not placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, and part of the Texans’ salary cap went towards Watson’s contract.

Houston traded Watson to the Browns on March 18, 2022, and received a hefty compensation package that included a first-round pick through the 2024 NFL draft.

Caserio told reporters on March 19 that teams were interested in Watson and they had to determine the market as the quarterback also had a no-trade clause in his contract.

“I think there was a certain threshold that I had established in order to make it a legitimate discussion, and if we got to that point then we could engage further,” Caserio said. “I don’t want to get into the exact number, but there was a few more, however many teams than what everybody was reporting towards the end.”

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Nick Caserio jokes only a cyber attack could void the Texans’ trading of QB Deshaun Watson

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio reiterated the Deshaun Watson trade is final, but joked about how it could possibly be voided.

The Cleveland Browns might want take-backs on the Deshaun Watson trade.

The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback remains embroiled in a civil lawsuit wherein 24 women accuse him of committing sexual assault. The number may increase, according to the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Tony Buzbee. The NFL is reportedly seeking a “significant” suspension of Watson.

As the Browns languish due to Watson’s availability issues, the Texans still have the Browns’ first-round picks through 2024 as part of the haul from trading Watson.

However, the trade is final, according to general manager Nick Caserio.

“Maybe you call [Roger] Goodell and ask him,” Caserio told “Payne & Pendergast” on Sports Radio 610 [KILT-AM] on June 16. “Any trade — forget about this particular one — any trade that takes place, so, there is a process that you have to go through, the teams agree on that, and then once you agree on that it gets submitted to the league, the transaction gets processed, and then it goes on file with the league.”

Caserio joked about scenarios that could possibly void the trade.

“Unless there is somebody that is going to go in there overnight in a mask and try to get on a computer and may have a cyber attack or something like that, not sure there’s anything that can be done there,” Caserio said. “So, no different than a draft day trade, even though it kind of happens more in real time. You have an agreement in place, okay, you contact the league. We have a trade. We have agreement. You sign the paperwork along, and everyone goes along their merry way.

“So, unless I’m missing something, or unless Seth [Payne] calls Goodell and asks him for his interpretation and opinion, I would say that whatever trades have happened have happened. They’re in the past, and now we’re just focused on training camp and moving forward with the team.”

If the trade could be voided in any way, it would be fascinating to see how the league handled it, given that Houston used Cleveland’s No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft to acquire the Philadelphia Eagles’ No. 15 pick to take Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green. The Eagles used that pick to take Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis.

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CBS Sports says trading QB Deshaun Watson was the Texans’ best offseason move

The Houston Texans’ best move of the 2022 offseason was the trading of QB Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns, according to CBS Sports.

The Houston Texans’ offseason moves really didn’t get started until the 2022 NFL draft. During free agency, the Texans added solid veterans from outside the organization such as guard A.J. Cann and cornerback Steven Nelson. Houston also kept reliable starters such as defensive tackle Maliek Collins and even reworked receiver Brandin Cooks’ contract.

In the draft, the building blocks for the future were acquired with the selections of first-round cornerback Derek Stingley, guard Kenyon Green, second-round safety Jalen Pitre, receiver John Metchie, and fourth-round running back Dameon Pierce.

According to Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports, the best move the Texans made in the offseason was actually a trade when they shipped quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.

They’ve made a lot of questionable decisions (letting Davis Mills go unchallenged at QB? making Lovie Smith the latest placeholder atop the staff? signing/re-signing a bunch of free-agent leftovers again?), but dealing Watson was inevitable. The fact they offloaded his big contract and off-field baggage for three first-rounders and more? They’re at least set up to rebuild.

General manager Nick Caserio told reporters on March 19 that the ability to pull off the trade wasn’t as simple as finding a willing trade partner; it had to be a situation Watson would want to go to.

“I think the impetus for getting teams to the table when you have a situation like that was there’s X number of teams that there would have been interest in potentially waiving that clause for, so in order to get those teams to the table we had a certain threshold of what it would take to get to that point for those initial discussions to take place,” said Caserio. “From there, you have to work through the trade compensation and whatever the compensation is that you feel makes the most sense. I think you have to be thoughtful and you have to take the information, process it and try to make the best decision at that time so that’s why we went ahead and did what we did.”

The Texans aren’t just setup to rebuild; they are setup to put the final touches on a roster that could be competing for a playoff spot in 2024. They also have the capital to build packages to acquire Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent, and Houston will also have the salary cap space to do so in 2023.

Dealing Watson provided Houston the opportunity to start over and cultivate a new identity for the franchise. The move also allowed Watson to go to a new NFL city and hit the reset button — although Watson’s legal entanglements may keep the two parties linked for a while longer.

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Texans coach Lovie Smith on Deshaun Watson trade: ‘Sometimes divorce is good’

Houston Texans coach Lovie Smith says that moving on from quarterback Deshaun Watson was in the best interest of both parties.

The Houston Texans needed a clean break from Deshaun Watson.

Whether it was the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback’s trade request from January 2021 shortly after the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio, or his being named as a defendant in a lawsuit wherein 22 women allege he committed sexual assault, Watson had worn out his welcome in Houston.

Texans coach Lovie Smith sees the separation from Watson, finalized with a trade with the Cleveland Browns, as a fresh start for both sides.

“You know, sometimes divorce is good,” Smith told Cris Collinsworth on his eponymous podcast. “That’s my statement that I’ve made a lot of times when a split is going to happen. Both parties are going to win once it does. Again, I don’t know what all happened, the accusations are there. If they have merit, that will all come out in time, but for our football team, we needed to move on.”

The Texans unofficially moved on from Watson in the 2021 NFL draft when they selected former Stanford quarterback Davis Mills with the No. 67 overall pick in Round 3. Selecting Mills was also the first pick ever in the Caserio era, which was also another signal that the club was moving on from their former 2017 first-round pick.

Houston gathered quite the haul in dealing Watson to the Browns. The Texans have the Browns’ first-round pick through the 2024 NFL draft, which means even if Mills isn’t the solution under center, Caserio will have the capital to ultimately address the position.

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Browns replacing Baker Mayfield with the Texans’ Deshaun Watson ranks on crazy storyline list

The Cleveland Browns trading with the Houston Texans to have Deshaun Watson replace Baker Mayfield ranks among the offseason’s crazy storylines.

Everyone knew that the Houston Texans were going to trade quarterback Deshaun Watson in the 2022 offseason. The details of how the trade finally went down and to where is what baffled sports fans.

According to Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports the Texans’ trading of Watson to the Cleveland Browns as a replacement for quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks as the sixth-craziest storyline to date of the 2022 offseason.

Yes, Cleveland’s acquisition of Watson, the embattled former Texans star, was a huge deal, giving the Browns a major upgrade on Mayfield, and especially in light of the QB’s reported preference for an NFC South team. But the bigger shock was the price tag, with Cleveland committing a fully guaranteed $230 million to a guy facing 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct.

The Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers were heavy favorites to land Watson. The Browns were even reported to have been out of the running. However, the AFC North team swooped in at the last minute on March 18 to pull off the acquisition of the three-time Pro Bowler.

“I think the impetus for getting teams to the table when you have a situation like that was there’s X number of teams that there would have been interest in potentially waiving that clause for, so in order to get those teams to the table we had a certain threshold of what it would take to get to that point for those initial discussions to take place,” general manager Nick Caserio told reporters on March 19. “From there, you have to work through the trade compensation and whatever the compensation is that you feel makes the most sense. I think you have to be thoughtful and you have to take the information, process it and try to make the best decision at that time so that’s why we went ahead and did what we did.”

Houston is hopeful that is the only crazy storyline of the offseason as they seek to quietly complete the rebuild.