Browns GM makes opinion clear on harsh reality of $230,000,000 Deshaun Watson trade

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry did not mince words while talking about Deshaun Watson's $230 million trade. Initially, the trade was full of high expectations but fast forward to 2025, it has not gone according to plan.

"To date the trade hasn't gone how we anticipated," Berry said on Tuesday, via WEWS' Camryn Justice.

In order to bring the quarterback, the Browns sent several top draft picks to the Houston Texans. Ironically, those draft picks — Defensive Rookie of the Year, Will Anderson Jr. and CJ Stroud — have performed well in Houston.

Watson showed a lot of promise with the Texans; however, since joining the Browns, his performance has been inconsistent. Additionally, Watson had been injured in 2023 and 2024, which ended his seasons early.

To make things worse, Watson's numerous sexual assault lawsuits further hampered the trade due to legal issues.

Cleveland Browns gave up Baker Mayfield for Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson joined the Cleveland Browns via a trade in 2022. The Browns had to trade their former star QB, Baker Mayfield.

In 2023, while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mayfield passed for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. Under the pressure of succeeding Tom Brady, he also led the Bucs to back-to-back NFC South titles. All of these make the Browns’ decision to trade him look like an increasingly costly blunder.

This season, the Browns’ playoff hopes slipped following a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14. However, Deshaun Watson seems unbothered.

ESPN’s Michelle Smallmon has called out the Browns QB.

"They’re 3-14, they’ve had a really rough season, and he’s out there getting worked by the Baltimore Ravens while he’s on the side of the road making TikToks with his girlfriend," Smallmon said on Tuesday, via "Unsportsmanlike Radio." "He doesn’t seem like he cares about the team or that he wants to be there either."

The Cleveland Browns finished the season with a 3-14 record — the worst in franchise history.