The sweepstakes for Deshaun Watson came to a stunning resolution before the weekend arrived. On Friday, the Houston Texans' embattled quarterback agreed to waive his no-trade clause and join the Cleveland Browns, one day after telling the team that they were no longer in the running to acquire him.
The blockbuster trade package includes three first-round draft picks and two additional assets to Houston. And on top of that return, Watson -- who won't face criminal charges for sexual misconduct allegations, has received a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million extension from the Browns. Since Watson will most likely miss 2022 games, due to suspension, they reduced his base salary to a minuscule $1 million for next season, minimizing financial fallout.
"I didn't realize Kevin Costner had become general manager of the Browns," former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann told the Reiter Than You show on Monday. "If you watched the film 'Draft Day,' he was willing to give up three No. 1's to get a guy he wanted... Guaranteed contract, the amount of money and picks invested in this, it's a little mind-boggling, to be honest with you.
"You don't know whether or not, or how much he's going to be able to play in 2022. I think there's some uncertainty around the situation with Deshaun. But obviously, Cleveland believes they're as close as the Rams were to make that move to go get a QB... You figure they've got to go toe-to-toe with Cincinnati in that division now, and you think about Baltimore as well."
Watson, who was drafted 12th overall by Houston in 2017, still faces 22 active civil lawsuits against him. Due to ongoing legal matters, he didn't play a single snap for the Texans in 2021 -- he was listed as a healthy scratch for 18 weeks. When the 26-year-old last saw action, during the 2020 season, he threw for a career-high 4,823 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven picks. It's still unclear when Watson will play in 2022 -- league commissioner Roger Goodell has the unilateral power to suspend him, under the NFL's personal conduct policy.
The arrival of Watson in Cleveland also means that Baker Mayfield will get his wish of a trade this offseason. His 2021 season was simply a disappointment. For more than three months, the 26-year-old played with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, and in mid-January, he underwent successful surgery to repair the injury. Due to nagging complications with his shoulder, knee, and foot, the fourth-year starter only threw for 3,010 yards with 17 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a career-low 35.1 QBR across 14 games.
The entire NFL conversation between Theismann and Reiter can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Reiter Than You show on Twitter @sportsreiter and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.