The Cleveland Browns had a franchise quarterback, and they gave up on him.
And while there were more than enough reasons to have doubts about Baker Mayfield, that proved to be the wrong decision.
Now, as pointed out by Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac, the Deshaun Watson era has brought nothing but disappointment.
The Deshaun Watson #Browns Era
(now almost certainly over)
▫️ 19 Games
▫️ 22 Total TD / 12 INT
▫️ 70 Sacks
▫️ 61% Completion
▫️ 80.7 Pass Rating
▫️ $229.4M Earned— Spotrac (@spotrac) April 1, 2025
So far, he’s logged 22 total touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 19 games.
He’s been sacked 70 times, and he’s completed just 61% of his passes for a passer rating of 80.7.
Even so, he’s made $229.4 million, as his contract is fully guaranteed.
On paper, it made sense to go after a player of Watson’s caliber.
This franchise has been in the hunt for a star quarterback for decades now, and he was an MVP candidate and one of the most talented and impactful gunslingers in the game.
Then again, he had also been away from the game for a while because of his well-documented issues off the field, and rewarding him with a $230 million contract might not have been the wisest decision.
In hindsight, this trade will most likely go down as the worst move in NFL history, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see it atop the list of the worst moves in all pro sports history.
Fortunately, the team won’t have to deal with his massive contract for much longer, as he’s only got two years left on his deal.
And given how he’s performed and carried himself, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he didn’t play another snap in the NFL.
NEXT: Browns Urged To Avoid 'Desperation' Pick At No. 2
