'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Deshaun Watson didn’t receive the credit for the Cleveland Browns’ resurgence last season. Instead, Joe Flacco took center stage and helped the AFC North squad clinch a playoff berth. His efforts earned him the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award.
With Flacco taking the Browns’ offense to new heights, ESPN NFL insider and former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum proposed a trade involving Watson.
On the February 16 episode of ESPN’s Get Up, he shared about trading Watson and a second-round pick to the New York Giants for Daniel Jones.
However, a football fan criticized this suggestion, stating:
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
“Dumbest take I've ever seen. I've been critical of bill Cosby but I'd take him over almost everyone in the league right now, especially if he plays like he did against Baltimore”
Trending
Another NFL follower commented:
“This is why you’re not a GM anymore”
Here are other reactions regarding Tannenbaum’s proposed trade featuring Deshaun Watson.
Aside from the suggested swap between the Browns and the Giants for Deshaun Watson, Tannenbaum suggested a trade between the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers for Justin Fields. He also proposed a swap between the Jets and the Dallas Cowboys for CJ Mosley and Brandin Cooks.
After signing a four-year, $160 million contract extension, an ACL tear ended Jones’ 2023 campaign in six games. He finished that season with 108 completions for 909 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Conversely, it’s easy to forget that the Browns were winning with Deshaun Watson behind center until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He had a 5-1 record as Cleveland’s starter, compiling 105 completions for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions. He had two multi-touchdown games during that stretch, resulting in victories against the Arizona Cardinals and the Tennessee Titans.
The Browns finished the 2023 regular season at 11-6. However, their fight ended with a Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans.
Deshaun Watson’s contract makes him impossible to trade
Watson signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract during the 2020 offseason. While that contract averages $46 million annually, the Browns absorb more money in the final years of his deal.
For the 2024 season, Deshaun Watson will count for $63.9 million against the cap. Cutting him is impossible because he will count for a $200.9 million dead cap, more than half of next season’s projected salary cap.
Making him a post-June 1 cut will still charge the Browns $100.45 million this season and in 2025. However, his cap count alone makes it challenging for Cleveland to find a trade partner for Watson.
Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.
