Report: Expect Cleveland Browns to be a Player For Deshaun Watson
Baker Mayfield is the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns and every sign points toward that being the case for the foreseeable future. Cleveland picked up the fifth-year option for Mayfield, so he’s on the team for at least next year. According to one NFL reporter, the Browns could be in on Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
“Now, are they going to be willing to go the distance? I don't know that, but I absolutely believe the Browns are going to be a player for Deshaun Watson if he becomes available. Again a lot of this is going to come down to, what's happening legally, getting signoff from ownership, of course that's an important piece of it,” Albert Breer said on Bull and Fox.
Making such move would take a trade of at least two first round picks surely. The asking price for Watson is high, the main reason he was not traded at the NFL trade deadline. Watson is currently dealing with multiple legal cases that he will have to work out before he returns to the field, no matter who he is playing for.
Watson is an upgrade from Mayfield, there’s no question about that. The team would have to feel good about his legal issues to make such move, that goes for any team. Watson had a four-year contract with a $39 million dollar average yearly that will run until 2026. Anyone who trades for Watson will have to be able to take on that contract. Cleveland could, but they would likely have to trade Mayfield and his fifth year deal. That’s where it gets tough.
Breer says he doesn’t know if Browns will go down to the wire for Watson, which could be true. Watson has to waive his no-trade clause first. Andrew Berry and this front office will likely stick to their price range in what they would have to give up for Watson. If it exceeds that, no deal will happen.
The job of the general manager involves getting the best team on the field. There’s nothing wrong with exploring the quarterback position for Cleveland. It will be tough to do it with a player like Watson, who is accused of some tough accusations that will deter many, as it should. To this point there is no sign that Berry would look to make this kind of move.
Watson in a Browns’ jersey is probably a long shot, but nothing can be ruled out until a Watson trade takes place. During the 2022 season we likely see Watson elsewhere, we’ll see just how involved Cleveland gets.
Brandon Little is a writer for Sports Illustrated’s Browns Digest website and you can follow him on Twitter here. You can follow Browns Digest on Twitter as well here.
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