With less than a month until the NFL Draft, Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam had a lot to state about the 2022 trade that brought Deshaun Watson to Cleveland.
While speaking to reporters at the NFL owner’s meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday, Jimmy Haslam called the trade for Watson “a swing and miss” in an unexpected admission.
“We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun. We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him,” Haslam said in part.
“So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. [The trade] was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable,” Haslam said, via Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.
#Browns ownership is opening up regarding the Deshaun Watson trade.
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) March 31, 2025
(via: @MaryKayCabot) pic.twitter.com/1xVCiHJVhp
The Haslams said the quiet part out loud when it came to the 2022 trade that brought quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Browns from the Houston Texans. Not only did it cost them three first-round draft picks, but also a fully-guaranteed $230 million contract over five years.
As we get closer to the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns hold the No. 2 pick that could firmly find a replacement for Watson.
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Fast-forward three years, and the Browns appear to be waiting for the moment they can financially part ways with Watson.
Haslem further made it clear that he hopes the team can land their star quarterback of the future.
#Browns Jimmy Haslam: "It would be great if we could get the quarterback, but we're not going to force it."
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 31, 2025
The Cleveland Browns recently bought insurance for Deshaun Watson that grants them significant cap relief in 2026 if he doesn’t play in 2025.
Browns QB Deshaun Watson Has Done Close To Nothing With Cleveland
Deshaun Watson has been terrible with the Browns.
In 19 games over three seasons with the Browns, Watson has thrown for 3,365 yards on 341-for-557 passing, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
He has never looked like the quarterback that he was when he played for the Houston Texans.
