Browns GM reflects on trade with Texans for Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry spoke with reporters on Monday and stood by the trade with the Houston Texans that landed Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson in March 2022. 

"When we made the trade, we really looked at it as, hey, this is something that we'll evaluate like a 10-year time horizon," Berry explained, as shared by Browns beat reporter Daryl Ruiter of Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan. "Obviously we want him on the field more often than he's been. He can't help the shoulder injuries this year, but we're really pleased with him. He's very talented, he's very hardworking, he's adaptable and we really feel good about it moving forward." 

Berry and others within the Browns gave up on signal-caller Baker Mayfield after Mayfield played through a serious injury to his non-throwing shoulder during the 2021 season. Cleveland ultimately sent Houston three first-round draft picks and other assets to acquire Watson, and the club then gave him a historic fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract. 

Watson thus far has played in just 12 regular-season games for the Browns after he missed the first 11 contests of the 2022 campaign due to serving a suspension related to accusations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Most recently, he was shut down because of a shoulder injury this past November. 

"[We] do feel really good about him, happy with the progress that he's made within our organization, both on the field and off the field," Berry added about Watson. "And we're looking forward to getting him back next year. We think he's going to have a really big year and have a ton of confidence in him as our starting quarterback." 

The Browns technically could afford to escape Watson's deal this coming offseason assuming a different team would take the 28-year-old off Cleveland's hands. Berry's comments indicate the club is still all-in on Watson heading into year three of a partnership that has thus far given the Browns little more than "what if?" questions.