Browns’ move for Deshaun Watson just a ‘big swing and miss?’ Pete Prisco calls it ‘worst trade’ in NFL history

Give Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam some credit for finally acknowledging that his team’s trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022 was “a big swing and miss” when asked about it during this week’s NFL owners meetings. While Haslam’s admission is something, it is largely a mild response to what could very well be the worst trade in the 105-year history of the league. 

In fact, that’s exactly what CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco called it while responding to the owner’s comments made earlier in the day. Prisco, who has covered the NFL for over three decades, feels strongly that no trade in NFL history is worse than the one that saw the Browns acquire Watson from the Houston Texans in exchange for three-first round picks, a third-round pick and two fourth-round picks. Cleveland also gave Watson the biggest guaranteed contract in NFL history at that time. 

“When you really look at it, though, he [Haslam] was actually kind of kind, because swing and a miss is one strike, right?” Prisco said. “This is the equivalent of striking out 50 times in a row. That’s what this trade is. It’s the worst trade in the history of the National Football League, and it’s not close.” 

CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones then asked Prisco if the Watson trade was worse than the Vikings‘ infamous 1989 trade for Cowboys running back Herschel Walker that included Dallas acquiring eight draft picks and each of Minnesota’s next three-first round picks. The trade spearheaded the Cowboys’ dynastic run of three Super Bowl wins during the 1990s. 

“Way worse than the Herschel Walker trade,” Prisco said. “At least Herschel Walker could do some things. Deshaun Watson never did anything for them. It’s a terrible trade. They’re still feeling the effects of it. Their quarterback situation is a mess. They’re bound by him because of the cap and the money they spent on him, and they don’t have those draft picks. Other than that, nice job, Mr. Haslam.” 

Prisco is right. Since acquiring Watson, the Browns have made the playoffs just once — in the 2023 season — and that was largely the byproduct of the play of veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who won Comeback Player of the Year honors that year after Watson went down with a season-ending injury. 

Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler during his years with the Texans, is just 9-10 as the Browns’ starting quarterback. He was 1-6 as Cleveland’s starter in 2024 before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, which he aggravated earlier this year and is expected to sideline him for most — if not all — of the 2025 season. 

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With Watson (who still has two years remaining on his current deal) sidelined indefinitely, the Browns are somewhat starting over at the quarterback position. Earlier this month, the team traded a 2025 fifth-round pick and backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Philadelphia Eagles for Kenny Pickett, a former Steelers first-round pick who has won 13 of his last 17 starts in games that he played in the majority of. Cleveland brought in 10-time Pro Bowl Russell Wilson for a visit during free agency, but Wilson left town without a deal and eventually signed instead with the New York Giants. 

The Browns may also elect to use the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback, especially if the Titans shock everyone and pass on selecting former Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick.