Jimmy Haslam’s New Deshaun Watson Take Leaves Browns With More Questions Than Answers

Last offseason, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam took accountability for the disastrous Deshaun Watson trade, calling it a big swing and a miss.

Watson missed the entire 2025 campaign while rehabbing back-to-back ruptured Achilles tendons. It’s Watson’s second completely missed season since he led the NFL in passing yards during the 2020 campaign. In 2021, he voluntarily sat out. In 2022, he was suspended 11 games following his controversial trade to Cleveland. In 2023, Watson underwhelmed before breaking his shoulder and his 2024 season was cut short due to his first ruptured Achilles.

Despite all of that, it seems like the Browns could decide to once again look at Watson, the same quarterback that wrecked their franchise due to his role in the worst trade in the history of professional sports.

On Sunday at the annual NFL meetings in Arizona, Browns general manager Andrew Berry confirmed that the team is bracing for a quarterback competition between Watson and Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland’s polarizing fifth-round rookie quarterback who showed a bit of promise last season. Of course, Berry hasn’t closed the door on adding another quarterback to the room, stating that the preference would be to add a young one if they make an addition.

What Haslam just said about Watson

On Monday, Haslam walked back his “swing and miss” comments from a year ago, opening the door for the team to seriously consider Watson in his final season under contract.

According to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, Haslam stated that he recently spoke to Watson, who said he weighs the least he has in several years and is in "great shape."

"He certainly had the ability at one point, and we're cautiously optimistic,” Haslam said.

Haslam told reporters that Watson has the opportunity to go from a swing and a miss to a home run if he starts this season for the Browns.

At the NFL Combine, new Browns head coach Todd Monken said he was excited to get his eyes on Watson, and is willing to give the former MVP candidate the benefit of the doubt.

“I think that anytime that you have a player that at one time has exhibited the skillset at an elite level, you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we’re going to be able to get that out of him,” Monken said last month in Indianapolis.

The last time that Watson was a good quarterback was the 2020 season. Since then, he’s taken off two full years and has had three significant injuries. Watson has only completed 19 games since the Browns traded for him in 2022. Yet somehow, Browns ownership, front office and the coaching staff is continuing to suggest that he has a real opportunity to start games in 2026.