If the considerations were only those of Watson's ability, then no one would even consider objecting to trade, at least those in Cleveland anyway.
But of course, there are outside considerations and I'll write about them in the next post for why the Browns shouldn't have traded for DeShaun Watson.
This post will discuss why the Browns were right to make the trade even with the risks and the costs.
The biggest reason is to upgrade at quarterback whereas Baker Mayfield gave the Browns an average quarterback at best.
Watson immediately gives Cleveland a quarterback that can rank with any of the elite quarterbacks in the game and although it may be 2023 until Browns fans can see Watson at his best considering his inactivity in 2021 and the likely time that he misses in 2022 due to a looming suspension, the Browns are competitive at the most important position against the best the league has to offer for the first time since prime Bernie Kosar in the late 1980s.
I wrote after the trade that Mayfield gave the Browns either the tenth, eleventh or twelfth best quarterback in the AFC, a conference that continues to get better seemingly every day, and that's not going to cut it if you are serious about being a contender.
DeShaun Watson simply is better than Baker Mayfield in any category that you can name, arm strength, accuracy, mobility, and the ability to pass in the pocket.
Look at the numbers-DeShaun Watson's worst season is better than Baker Mayfield's best- Can the Browns afford not to take the chance on Watson?
Not acquiring Watson and starting Mayfield sets the Browns program back years unless Mayfield would have made a quantum leap in his play and that means better than his career season in 2020.
If Mayfield is even above average, the Browns have wasted a season, would have likely been drafting a quarterback in 2023, and dealt with the growing pains of a young quarterback- all as their core players waste prime seasons.
And even then, who is to say the Browns get it right?
With this list of first-round quarterbacks drafted by the Browns- Tim Couch (who I excuse for being battered behind an awful offensive line), Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel, and Mayfield, even considering the faith that I have in Andrew Berry, I would still have concerns about the Browns ability to get the right quarterback.
Another point to consider is how rarely proven quarterbacks that may be only beginning to enter their prime are traded.
I did some research on this and one can go all the way back to 1967 for a similar situation when the Minnesota Vikings traded 27-year-old Fran Tarkenton to the New York Giants.
That's once in fifty-five years!
It's clear to see that without the off-the-field issues, the Texans would have never traded DeShaun Watson and likely wouldn't have even considered trading him for the Browns' offer.
The Browns' offer consists of three first-rounders (2022, 23, and 24), a third rounder in 2023, and two fourth-rounders in 2022 and 2024. which sounds like a lot and it is- BUT-
The only huge loss is this year's first-rounder as at 13, the Browns might have been able to add either a young receiver or pass rusher, both of which are needed.
Both of the first-rounders in 2023 and 2024 are picks that you hope would be near the back half of the round, and the Browns still have a pick in the fourth round this year and the third round next year, so Cleveland isn't hit nearly as badly with the other picks as one would think.
If DeShaun Watson plays up to his previous standards, the package that is being sent to Houston is quite light for a quarterback that you expect to be elite for the next decade.
Compare the Browns payoff compared to Denver's for Russell Wilson and one could argue that they sent less for a higher-rated passer (although Wilson has won a Super Bowl) that is six years younger!
Cleveland traded three firsts to Denver's two firsts but didn't include a second-rounder (Denver traded their next two second-rounders) and while Cleveland traded two fourth-rounders and a third-rounder, Denver traded a fifth and three players.
Drew Lock was a 2019 second rounder quarterback and while he hasn't overwhelmed anyone with his play, Lock isn't a bad player to play for a year for rebuilding teams, Tight end Noah Fant was a first-round selection in 2019 and in three seasons has caught 170 passes, and veteran defensive end Shelby Harris had six sacks last season and is a solid if unspectacular starter.
A rough equivalent would be Cleveland keeping a few of those later picks but adding Case Keenum (if he was younger), David Njoku, and a defensive lineman similar to former Brown Larry Ogunjobi to the trade instead.
I think I would say Denver paid more for Wilson than Cleveland did for Watson.
When you wrap it all up, there are next to no football reasons to not acquire DeShaun Watson.
The problem is what made him available is what makes adding him questionable to some, so in our next Watson-related post, we will look at reasons why the Browns should not have made the trade and see how the two opinions stack up against the other.
No comments:
Post a Comment