The Cleveland Browns are making waves once again, following their recent acquisition of quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans. The deal, finalized in March 2022, saw the Browns pulling out all the stops to secure Watson’s services, including offering him a hefty five-year, fully guaranteed contract worth a staggering $230 million.
However, the cost of bringing Watson on board didn’t stop there. In addition to the eye-watering salary, the Browns had to part ways with a significant amount of draft capital. They sent the Texans a package including three first-round picks (from 2022, 2023, and 2024), a third-round pick from 2023, and two fourth-round picks from 2022 and 2024.
Fast forward to now, and the final chapter of this trade saga has been written. On Friday night, the Texans utilized their last piece of draft capital acquired from the Browns, selecting USC safety Calen Bullock in the third round after a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, which involved the fourth-round selection they received from Cleveland.
OFFICIAL: We have acquired 3-time Pro Bowl QB Deshaun Watson in a trade with the Texans
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 20, 2022
Let’s break down how the Texans put all those picks to use:
- First round 2022: Originally slated as the No. 13 overall pick, the Texans traded down to No. 15 overall and snagged offensive guard Kenyon Green from Texas A&M.
- Fourth round 2022: With the No. 107 overall pick, they picked up running back Dameon Pierce from Florida.
- First round 2023: The Texans traded up to No. 3 overall and secured defensive end Will Anderson Jr. from Alabama, initially holding the No. 12 overall selection.
- Third round 2023: Trading up to No. 69 overall, they grabbed wide receiver Tank Dell from Houston after originally holding the No. 73 overall pick.
- First round 2024: In a deal with the Minnesota Vikings, they traded away the Browns’ first-round pick (No. 23 overall) for the Vikings’ second-round selection (No. 42 overall), ultimately selecting cornerback Kamari Lassiter from Georgia.
- Fourth round 2024: This pick, originally No. 127 overall, was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for moving up to No. 78 overall, where they secured Bullock.
With the draft picks saga settled, attention turns back to the Browns and Watson. Despite facing setbacks like an NFL suspension in 2022 and a shoulder injury in 2023, Watson has shown promise in his limited appearances for the Browns, winning eight out of the 12 games he’s played. His stats include a 60 percent completion rate, 2,217 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 81.7.
As the 2024 NFL Draft draws to a close, the Browns remain in the mix with four selections to make, including picks in the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds.
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