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In what is likely the biggest trade of the off-season, the Houston Texans finally unburdened themselves of the Deshaun Watson nightmare. It was originally announced that Houston general manger Nick Caserio was demanding three first round picks and three second rounders bare minimum.
Well, the initial compensation announcement for that fell fall short, thanks in major part to Bill O’Brien and Jack Easterby’s terrible negotiating skills which allowed Watson to hold all the cards via a no-trade clause.
However, the NFL made the final terms of the deal official and it’s sightly rosier than first announced.
The Browns will still be trading first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as well as a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Texans. They will also be sending a 2022 fourth-round pick — No. 107 — as compensation for their new signal caller.
On the other side, the Texans will be sending a 2024 sixth-round pick back to Cleveland rather than the previously announced fifth-rounder.
As it turns out, the compensation on the blockbuster trade has changed: Browns now are giving up six draft picks for Deshaun Watson; also instead of giving up a 2024 5th-round pick, it’s now a 2024 6th-round pick, per today’s wire. pic.twitter.com/Y98WFPmYeE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2022
It isn’t a huge tweak, but every bit of sunshine helps when you’re a Houston Texans fan right about now. This leaves the Texans sitting pretty as far as the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft is concerned.
Houston Texans now have the 2nd highest in 2022 draft value, using the Fitzgerald-Spielberger point value system.
— TexansCap (@TexansCap) March 22, 2022
In other news, the backlash the Cleveland Browns are facing from their fans is seemingly unlike anything an NFL franchise has ever experienced. From rumors of women’s rights groups organizing protests at every game Watson plays, to many fans vocally announcing their jumping ship to the other Ohio team, the Cincinnati Bengals, things aren’t as rosy in Cleveland as one might expect when a team finally lands a franchise quarterback.
I've heard from quite a few people, women and men, in Cleveland who are really distraught after the news that the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson.
— Diana Moskovitz (@DianaMoskovitz) March 21, 2022
I don't think the Browns care, but they've really hurt some of their fans by doing this.
Molly Qerim calls Deshaun Watson’s contract with the @Browns a “slap in the face to all women” pic.twitter.com/h3GYPJq5yV
— Brandon Contes (@BrandonContes) March 21, 2022
Robyn Lockner, online forum administrator for the “Cleveland Browns Women’s Group.”
Is that really the person we want as the face of the Browns? Speaking for myself and the majority of the women in my group, it’s not. I have 6,200 women in the group and probably 95% of them are against this move. 22 women, they aren’t going to lie. Five women, they may lie, they may want a payoff. 22 women are not going to lie. With a $230 million contract, the Cleveland Browns are paying his civil suits for him.
[The NFL] say they want more women in football and they are expressing their gratitude for the women referees and the women coaches and coordinators and then the organization turns around and brings somebody in who has absolutely no respect for women at all?
While this tweak to the final trade compensation is a welcome nicety for Texans fans, it seems to be just more salt in the wound for those who love the Cleveland Browns.
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