Browns Could ‘Be a Player’ for Deshaun Watson, SI's Albert Breer Says

He is still embroiled in the legal situation stemming from accusations by more than 20 women.

Deshaun Watson was not moved ahead of the trade deadline earlier this season. The Eagles and Dolphins have consistently been the teams most heavily connected to the Texans quarterback, though his legal situation ultimately makes it difficult for any team to make a play for him. Watson has not been charged with a crime at this time, but is under investigation for numerous accusations of sexual misconduct by more than 20 women. 

Over the last week, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer has mentioned a new team in the running for Watson, should he become available this offseason: the Browns.

Cleveland, 7–7 in 2021, has not quite gotten franchise quarterback-caliber play from Baker Mayfield, who has dealt with a host of injuries as well as a recently bout with COVID-19 this season. On the field, Watson would be a pretty clear upgrade for a team that has Super Bowl expectations after a breakout season in 2020.

During his Dec. 16 Thursday Night Football Q&A livestream on Twitter, Breer first predicted the Browns as a landing spot for Watson for the 2022 season. He followed that up during a Wednesday appearance on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, where he was asked about that statement.

“I think if and when Watson becomes available—and I think we all assume the Texans are gonna get him out on the market in the same sort of way the Lions got Stafford out on the market pretty quickly last year—and obviously all of this is pending the legal stuff, but I expect the Browns to be a player. I think the Browns are going to throw their hat in.

“Now, are they going to be willing to go the distance? I don't know that, but I absolutely believe the Browns are going to be a player for Deshaun Watson if and when he becomes available. And gain, a lot of this is going to come down to, what's happening legally, getting sign off from ownership, of course, that's an important piece of it. And then, how far you're willing to go if you do get that sign off. . . Let's call it an educated guess, I do think they'd throw their hat in the ring."

Breer has been bullish on the Browns as a team that could look to make a big splash at the quarterback position if they move on from Mayfield. The team was mentioned twice in his Wednesday mailbag, responding to questions about potential Aaron Rodgers trades, though he also thinks the best situation for Rodgers remains in Green Bay.

Watson has been sidelined by the Texans for the entire 2021 season after the allegations against him surfaced in the spring. He had been poised to hold out in hopes for a trade in early 2021 before the allegations became public, and he reported to the team this summer, though it was clear that he would not be playing for the team this fall.

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