When the Houston Texans traded quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns, it signaled the end of an era for the franchise. However, it may have been the best thing the Texans have ever done.
Houston acquired a wealth of draft picks in return for Watson, who, at the time, was one of the best signal-callers in football. Most assumed it would take quite some time for the Texans to regain their footing in the AFC South, but here they are in 2023 contending for a playoff berth.
JPA Football points out that Houston has turned the assets it landed for Watson into wide receivers Tank Dell and John Metchie, running back Dameon Pierce, defensive end Will Anderson Jr., offensive lineman Kenyon Green and linebacker Christian Harris.
Needless to say, the Texans have used the draft picks from the Watson trade to load up on talent that has pushed them back into the playoff conversation, and it may very well be the best deal in NFL history. That’s especially considering how horrendous Watson has been for the Browns.
Plus, Houston now has C.J. Stroud under center, as the Texans took Stroud with the second overall pick of the NFL Draft last spring. Stroud has certainly been better than Watson this season, and it seems entirely possible (if not very likely) that he will represent a rather significant upgrade over Watson moving forward.
Oh, and the Texans still have a couple of more draft picks at their disposal to use in 2024.
Deshaun Watson has made just six starts for the Browns this year, throwing for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 84.3. He is now officially out for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury.
Houston is 7-5 and will head on the road to take on the struggling New York Jets next Sunday.
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