Deshaun Watson went from one of the hottest young quarterbacks in the NFL to one of the least popular men on the planet. Despite dozens of accusations of sexual misconduct, the Houston Texans were somehow able to fleece the Cleveland Browns into giving up a boatload of picks, including three first-rounders, in a trade for Watson.
Houston managed to unload a PR nightmare and completely re-tooled their roster in the process. As if that wasn't enough of a win, they look even wiser considering how poorly Watson has played in Cleveland.
Watson, who is in his third season with the Browns, has completed 61.2 percent of his attempts for 3,365 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 picks. He's led the team to a record of 9-10 (although one of those wins should go to P.J. Walker) and hasn't been able to stay healthy.
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That's why it's not surprising to see players begin to speak up about their frustration. The first to do so is Myles Garrett, who made waves on Friday when he said the Browns need to show him they have a plan to turn into winners if he's going to happily stay. That seems to include moving on from Watson, who Garrett did not mention when he discussed the quarterback situation.
Garrett was asked if the Browns’ plans he wants to see includes the QB situation, Garrett said “absolutely.”
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) December 20, 2024
“Whether DTR is the solution or someone else is, it’s got to be drawn out. There’s got to be a plan of action …” https://t.co/4tycQTC6sW
Garrett failing to mention Watson doesn't feel like an accident. It's also completely understandable for him to be upset about the current situation he's in.
The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has been in Cleveland for eight years and signed a five-year extension in 2020 as the team was turning a corner. He's played his entire career with the Browns but knows his time is limited. Garrett turns 29 in December and has no intentions of sitting through another rebuild.
Browns can't easily move Deshaun Watson
Cleveland's in a tough spot since they made the mistake of paying Watson $230 million fully guaranteed. They doubled down on that mistake by kicking the can down the road on his salary. With two years left on his deal, Watson is still due $92 million over the next two seasons and he counts for more than $72 million against the cap in those years.
The cap hit for cutting him would be an astronomical $172 million in 2025, which would make the Broncos dead it for cutting Russell Wilson seem insignificant.
It's hard to feel sorry for them since they put themselves in this position by lowering his salary in 2022 to protect him from his suspension.
Cleveland gambled and lost. Now, it seems as though their best player is telling them it's time to move on.