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Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam appeared to have admitted defeat in relation to the decision to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson while addressing reporters during the NFL owners meetings in Florida on Monday (March 31).
"We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun," Haslam said via ESPN. "We thought we had the quarterback; we didn't. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole.
"... [The trade] was an entire organization decision and it ends with [my wife] Dee [Haslam] and I, so hold us accountable."
The Browns acquired Watson in a trade that sent three first-round picks to the Houston Texans in 2022. Watson's tenure in Cleveland was limited to just 19 games due to an 11-game suspension during his first season amid accusations of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct made by more than two dozen women, as well as a season-ending Achilles injury in 2024, which is expected to make him miss a significant portion of the upcoming 2025 season.
Watson has thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 341 of 557 passing, while also recording 465 yards and three touchdowns on 93 rushing attempts, while leading the Browns to a 9-10 record as a starter.