Deshaun Watson wasn’t on the field during the Cleveland Browns‘ 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday.
That didn’t stop Watson from being the target of some harsh criticism after the embarrassing playoff exit.
Watson has been sidelined since mid-November after suffering a broken bone in his shoulder. The Browns traded for Watson during the 2022 offseason in a blockbuster deal with the Texans.
Cleveland gave up three first-round picks, along with a third-round and fourth-round pick. The Browns also signed him to an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed deal after the move. Through two seasons, Watson has appeared in 12 games for the Browns. He missed the majority of last season serving an 11-game suspension.
The Watson trade came full circle during the Wild Card matchup. The Texans used their stockpile of picks from the Browns to accelerate their rebuild and some of those players acquired — either directly or indirectly — had a significant impact in the blowout. That includes receiver John Metchie III, as well as linebackers Christian Harris and Will Anderson Jr. The Texans still have the Browns’ first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Meanwhile, the Browns have had Watson available for a dozen games and he has rarely shown the Pro Bowl form he did in Houston.
“We’ve talked about how bad the Russell Wilson trade has been for Denver. Tonight, the Deshaun Watson trade looks worse. Texans just handed Cleveland its hat,” ESPN’s Mike Greenberg tweeted. “Add in the contract, Browns end of the trade looks historically awful.”
Texans Not Missing Deshaun Watson Thanks to C.J. Stroud
Watson’s legacy was also impacted by the lopsided victory. He had his fair share of success in Houston, leading them to the postseason twice and winning a thriller over the Buffalo Bills during the 2019 season.
But rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud doesn’t have anyone in Houston wishing they had Watson back. Stroud has been sensational and was surgical against the Browns’ top-ranked defense. He racked up 274 passing yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a near-perfect passer rating. Stroud and Watson now have the same number of playoff wins.
“Deshaun Watson just saw his old team beat the hell out of his new team while on the sideline and CJ Stroud balls out,” one fan wrote. “To make matters worse, his new team gave up all of those assets to his old team and now his old team is moving on in the playoffs while his new team heads home.”
That’s not to say there’s bad blood between Watson and Stroud. The two met for an embrace at midfield after the game. And Stroud said that Watson was one of the quarterbacks he looked up to before being drafted.
Joe Flacco’s Rough Outing Ends Browns QB Debate
Flacco took over as the starting quarterback in Week 13 and reeled off some incredible performances. The team went 4-1 with Flacco under center and he averaged better than 300 yards per game with multiple passing touchdowns in each.
Flacco’s play created some conversation that he could potentially be in the mix next season for the Browns, especially if he led them on a playoff run. That won’t happen and Flacco’s Cinderella story with the Browns ended with a thud. The soon-to-be 39-year-old quarterback tossed a pair of pick-sixes in the third quarter in a 2-minute span.
“Usually the further you go, the more heartbreak there is, just from my experience,” Flacco said after the game. “It’s a lot of fun along the way, but if you do get beat, it’s hard to deal with.”
Watson is expected to make a full recovery from the surgery and will be back as the starter for training camp. Flacco proved he still has something in the tank but will sort out his options as a free agent.
