The gamble was huge, as were the expectations. The Cleveland Browns went all in with the arrival of Deshaun Watson to the franchise, but all that was seen from the QB in recent months in the NFL were injuries and poor performances. Moving forward, owner Jimmy Haslam is confident in reshuffling and starting over.
In a recent conversation with the press at the NFL owner’s meetings in Palm Beach, one of the most influential figures in decision-making in Cleveland made it clear that the massive trade they bet on with Watson’s arrival ultimately did not yield the desired results.
“We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun,” Haslam told to some media members. “We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole … it was an entire organizational decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable.”
Undoubtedly, bets on the selection of certain players in this sport can bring good results, but on the other hand, they can also be ungratifying. Haslam knows they have a new opportunity in the upcoming draft, and they don’t plan on wasting it.
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam looks on before a NFL game between the Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field on October 20, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.
“I think the message is if the right person’s there, we’re going to take him,‘’ Haslam said. “If not, we’ll figure it out for a year or two until we get the right person. And I just keep saying, we need good football players. There’s good football players in this draft and we got to make sure we get the right ones for us.”
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Stefanski’s reflection on Watson for the upcoming season
The frustration within the Cleveland Browns regarding Watson’s situation is still very much present. The former Clemson player not only failed to perform as expected while on the field, but his Achilles injuries also forced the franchise to make last-minute desperate decisions.
The person who knows the QB firsthand is his head coach Kevin Stefanski, who, in a strong statement to the press, made something clear about Deshaun Watson ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
“We’ll see where he is as he gets healthy,” the head coach stated via NFL Network’s Steve Wyche, regarding the possibility of the former Texans QB seeing playing time once recovered from his serious injury.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on in the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The draft: The Browns’ next objective
The 2025 NFL Draft features a talented group of quarterbacks, among whom one is likely to be selected by the Cleveland Browns at the end of this month. Shedeur Sanders is one of the players who has had multiple meetings with the franchise and stands a good chance of being chosen.
Coach Stefanski was asked by the press if they were planning to have another private workout with any other player besides the one held with the former Colorado Buffaloes player, to which the HC responded clearly.
“Well, probably not,” he said at the annual owner’s meetings. “Well, I should say this. We’re covered making sure we see all these guys.”
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