“I need a top-five guy out of him next year” - NFL analyst expects greatness from Deshaun Watson to justify trade

The Cleveland Browns took a huge gamble when they traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Browns acquired Watson and the Houston Texans' 2024 sixth-round draft pick. In exchange, the Browns gave away first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as a third-round pick in 2023 and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024.

Watson signed a new, fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal with the Browns, making it the largest contract and the highest-guaranteed amount in NFL history.

Such a massive contract will undoubtedly add pressure on Watson to perform and Good Morning Football's Kyle Brandt thinks the quarterback ought to establish himself as a top-five player in the league next season.

Brandt said:

“How great is he gonna be? Because he was objectively brilliant the last time we saw him on a terrible, terrible Texans team. He was spectacular. Optics-wise, statistic-wise, he just did everything you could possibly do."

He did strike a note of caution though.

"And yet, my take yesterday was with what the Browns paid for in both actual capital and everything, from respect, to dignity, to so on and so forth. He better be brilliant. Brilliant. He better be way better than Baker Mayfield. He better be one of the top five guys in the league."

Brandt feels the only way the Browns can justify the trade is for Watson to develop into one of the league's best players.

Brandt added:

"Otherwise, why did you spend all that stuff? Why did you take the hit you're gonna continue to take PR-wise? If the Browns next year are 7-10 and their quarterback is AFC Kyler Murray. What was the point?"

Browns working on dealing Baker Mayfield after getting Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns are looking to get rid of Baker Mayfield

Following the Deshaun Watson trade, the next step for the Cleveland Browns is to get rid of Baker Mayfield. The Browns even signed Jacobey Brissett as their backup following the trade of Watson. As the quarterback carousel dwindles down, there aren't many teams that would trade for Mayfield.

Last season, Mayfield notched up 3,010 passing yards in 14 games. He had a completion percentage of 60.5% and registered 17 passing touchdowns.

Many teams such as the Panthers, Colts, and others, weren't interested in acquiring Mayfield. Some believe that the Browns will be forced to release Mayfield to humble him.

Whatever it may be, the expectation is that Mayfield will not be on the Browns roster this season.