The Browns’ mock-humility over the Deshaun Watson trade is laughable

Talent trumps trouble in the NFL and Cleveland value the quarterback's arm, not his character. Pretending otherwise merely insults fans' intelligence

From a football-only perspective, the winner of the Cleveland Browns-Houston Texans blockbuster trade for Deshaun Watson is worthy of debate. The Texans shipped the 26-year-old quarterback to the Browns in exchange for three first-round picks, plus a third- and fourth-rounder. In addition, Watson will reportedly receive $230m in guaranteed money. That's a boatload of capital to invest in any player, and Watson will need to give the Browns several years of production to make the deal worth it for Cleveland from a football perspective. Franchise quarterbacks drive organizations: great ones are worth breaking the bank for.

But in trading for Watson, the Browns sold their soul. Of course, Watson is no ordinary player. He's a multi-faceted - and arguably generational - talent who led the league in passing yards in 2020. He is a three-time Pro Bowler who holds the NFL record for highest career completion percentage. The Browns salivated at those stats, all the while minimizing a far more significant number: 22.