Jimmy Haslam admitted he made a mistake with the Deshaun Watson trade with the Houston Texans in 2022.
Haslam said on Monday after he accepts full responsibility for the newest mistake by the lake.
He said the team is still recovering from 'a big swing and a miss' on Deshaun Watson and to hold "me and (wife) Dee accountable."
The Browns traded three first-round picks to the Texans for the oft-injured and cap-killing quarterback.
It was in March 2022 when the Browns pulled the trigger on a massive trade, receiving Watson and a 2024 sixth-rounder from the Houston Texans for three first-round picks (2022-24), a third-rounder in 2023 and a pair of fourth-round selections (2022, 2024).
The Browns also signed Watson to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal, which was the largest amount of guaranteed money in NFL history at the time.
And on top of that? Watson was mired in a sex scandal that eventually got him suspended during his start in Cleveland.
Obviously, now? The Browns would have been much better with those three first-round selections instead of Watson.
Watson came to the Browns with a lot of baggage stemming from those sexual assault allegation made by various massage therapists. Watson settled most of the civil claims out of court. Criminal charges were never filed.
But is did create an ugly foundation in Cleveland.
Further, Watson's guaranteed ginormous contract has killed the cap for the Browns and despite a restructure this season, it has prohibited them from taking a meaningful run at free agents the last three seasons.
"We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun. We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him," Haslam said. "So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole. … (the trade) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable."
Haslam has to be held accountable for the Watson debacle. ... which continues on, as the QB remains on the roster with what is now a concerning injury history.
And now?
General manager Andrew Berry is on the clock for the No. 2 pick in the first round in April. This will be the Browns first pick in the opening round since 2021.
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 3:09 PM.