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Deshaun Watson changes mind, will join Cleveland Browns in trade with Houston Texans
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- Deshaun Watson changes mind, will join Cleveland Browns in trade with Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson is running a reverse to Cleveland.
In a stunning turn of events, Watson decided Friday to waive the no-trade clause in his contract and join the Browns.
The Houston Texans announced their blockbuster trade with the Browns on Friday night.
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The Browns agreed to send three first-round picks (one in each of the next three drafts), a 2023 third-round selection and a 2024 fourth-round choice to the Texans for Watson and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
Deshaun Watson gets fully guaranteed $230 million contract over five years
The Browns and Watson also agreed to a new five-year contract worth $230 million fully guaranteed, a person familiar with the situation confirmed. The deal sets a record for the most guaranteed money on a single contract in NFL history, according to ESPN Stats & Information . Watson's average annual salary of $46 million will be second among NFL quarterbacks, trailing only Green Bay Packers four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers ($50.27 million).
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The Browns had been informed Thursday morning that Watson would not waive his no-trade clause for them and had narrowed his decision down to the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. The Falcons and Saints had reportedly become the finalists in the Watson sweepstakes by Thursday night, but the Browns never stopped courting the player, and they showed him the money in unprecedented fashion.
In the end, Watson changed his mind.
The Browns are willing to accept whatever public backlash will come from making Watson the face of their franchise because owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam believe the quarterback can lead Cleveland to its first Super Bowl.
The Haslams approving a massive investment in a player as controversial as Watson would never have happened unless they could envision him hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
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They could no longer see the sport's ultimate goal being achieved with Baker Mayfield quarterbacking their team.
Browns expected to trade Baker Mayfield after decision
Bothered by the franchise's pursuit of Watson, Mayfield had requested a trade from the Browns on Thursday afternoon . The team's initial stance was it would not accommodate Mayfield's request, but Mayfield will obviously be dealt to another team with Watson aboard.
The Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers are among the potential landing spots for Mayfield.
Watson is a three-time Pro Bowl selection who has been accused of sexual misconduct or sexual assault by two dozen women during massage appointments. On Friday, a grand jury decided Watson wouldn't be criminally charged, but he still faces 22 civil lawsuits and a likely NFL suspension.
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"Any transaction would have no effect on the NFL's ongoing and comprehensive investigation of the serious allegations against Deshaun Watson," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. "Nor would it affect his status under the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Personal Conduct Policy.
"If the league's investigation determines that Watson violated the Personal Conduct Policy, discipline may be imposed pursuant to the policy and the CBA."
None of it stopped the Browns from trading for Watson, 26, because he's a rare talent at the sport's most important position. The last time an NFL team surrendered three first-round picks to acquire a player was in 1989, when the Minnesota Vikings traded with the Dallas Cowboys for running back Herschel Walker, according to ESPN Stats & Information . The Texans have the 13th overall pick in the April 28-30 draft after receiving it from the Browns.
Marla Ridenour column: Browns the epitome of hypocrisy with pursuit of Texans' Deshaun Watson
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The Browns structured Watson's massive contract to give him a break in the event of a suspension while also allowing themselves salary-cap flexibility. His base salary for next season will be the league minimum for a player with his experience — $1.035 million, a league source confirmed. That means if he were suspended, it would cost him $57,500 for each game he misses.
Backup quarterback Case Keenum had a $1 million roster bonus due Friday, and the Browns kept him. He could remain with the team and start next season if Watson misses games due to suspension. Keenum is scheduled to make a salary of $6.1 million in 2022, but the Browns might ask him to restructure the deal.
Watson visited with the Saints and Panthers on Monday, the Browns on Tuesday and the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. The owners, general managers and head coaches attended each team's meeting with Watson, according to ProFootballTalk.com.
The teams had to present a trade package to the Texans to get a meeting with Watson, ESPN reported.
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Deshaun Watson: Given past discipline inconsistencies, NFL in bind on potential Deshaun Watson punishment | Opinion
What attracted Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns?
The Browns finished last season with a disappointing record of 8-9, but Watson undoubtedly took note of their strong roster. They boast a stellar offensive line, an elite running back stable and a promising defense. Plus, they acquired four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper on Saturday in a trade with the Cowboys.
The Browns had been conducting due diligence on Watson for a while. The Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders also did their homework on Watson, but those teams ultimately bowed out of the pursuit for a trade, USA Today reported.
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Social media reactions: Some Browns fans aren't as excited for Deshaun Watson as LeBron James
What changed the Cleveland Browns' mind on Baker Mayfield?
General Manager Andrew Berry told Browns beat writers Jan. 11 and March 1 he "fully" expected Mayfield to be the team's starting quarterback in 2022 and echoed the sentiment in a meeting with Mayfield's agent at the NFL Scouting Combine. However, everyone who's familiar with the cold, hard business of professional football knows plans can change.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Mayfield wrote what read like a goodbye letter to Cleveland fans and posted it on social media Tuesday night as team brass flew back from its meeting with Watson in Houston.
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Mayfield will become just the third quarterback in the NFL common era (since 1967) to become a top selection and last four or fewer seasons with his first team, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The other players who had a similar fate were JaMarcus Russell (Oakland Raiders 2007-09) and Jeff George (Colts 1990-93).
2022 NFL Draft: Where the Cleveland Browns will pick
What Deshaun Watson brings to the Browns
Watson is a clear-cut upgrade on the field over Mayfield, who is due $18.858 million guaranteed this year in the final season of his contract with the Browns.
Watson, listed as 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, made three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2018-2020 before sitting out last season amid his legal troubles and refusal to play for the Texans.
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Watson had requested a trade from Houston in January 2021, months before the allegations of lewd behavior became public knowledge. Coming off a record of 4-12 in the 2020 season, Watson had reportedly grown frustrated with Texans brass partly because he didn't feel he had been properly involved when it hired GM Nick Caserio.
In September 2020, Watson signed a four-year, $156 million extension with the Texans.
The Browns have made him even wealthier despite all of his off-field baggage.
"I'm extremely proud of the way Nick Caserio navigated us through this challenging situation," Texans Chair and Chief Executive Officer Cal McNair said in a statement. "He remained patient before ultimately making the decision that is best for us in both the short and long term. We're confident in our plan to build a championship program that can sustain success and our entire organization is excited to move forward together."
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The Browns will visit the Texans next season .
In four NFL regular seasons, Watson has completed 67.8% of his passes for 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns with 39 interceptions for a rating of 104 to go along with 307 carries for 1,677 yards (5.5 average) and 17 touchdowns. He has taken 174 sacks.
His record as a starter is 28-25 in the regular season and 1-2 in the playoffs. He has orchestrated 10 game-winning drives by pro-football-reference.com's count.
Watson had his best statistical production in 2020, when he went 382-of-544 passing (70.2%) for a league-high 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns with seven interceptions for a career-high rating of 112.4.
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The Browns passed on Watson in the 2017 draft when they picked defensive end Myles Garrett first overall and again when they traded the 12th overall selection to the Texans in a move down the board. The Texans then turned the card in for Watson, a native of Gainesville, Georgia, who won a national championship with Clemson University in his final collegiate season.
Looking back at Baker Mayfield's time with the Cleveland Browns
Former Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown was in charge of roster decisions in 2017. The next year, former Browns GM John Dorsey drafted Mayfield. Berry served as a Browns VP of player personnel during both of those drafts and ultimately became GM in January 2020.
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As an NFL starter, Mayfield has a record of 30-31, including 1-1 in the playoffs. He has completed 61.6% of his passes for 14,125 yards and 92 touchdowns with 56 interceptions for a rating of 87.8.
He caught fire in the second half of the 2020 season, his first with coach Kevin Stefanski, helping the Browns go 11-5, reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and earn their first postseason win since Jan. 1, 1995, with a 48-37 wild-card triumph in Pittsburgh.
But Mayfield struggled mightily last season while playing through a completely torn labrum he suffered in his left, non-throwing shoulder in a Week 2 win over the Texans. He had surgery Jan. 19.
Mayfield finished the season 253-of-418 passing (60.5%) for 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns with 13 interceptions for a rating of 83.1 in 14 games, going 6-8 as a starter. He rushed 37 times for 134 yards (3.6 average) and a touchdown. He took 43 sacks.
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A failure to meet lofty expectations was amplified when Mayfield publicly criticized Stefanski's play calling twice last season.
Mayfield and Stefanski had what the coach called a productive exit meeting days before the Jan. 9 regular-season finale, and they appeared capable of moving forward together with a positive working relationship.
Now Stefanski will be forming a partnership with a new Browns starting quarterback, one who is way more polarizing than the lightning rod Mayfield became in Cleveland.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deshaun Watson changes mind, will join Browns in trade with Texans
