The Cleveland Browns are in a surprising position through nine weeks.
While they weren’t expected to be one of the best teams in the league, many fans and pundits had higher hopes for them coming into the year.
However, Deshaun Watson dealt with various injuries coming into the year, and he’s now out for the season.
Quarterback play has been inconsistent for them all year, which has made it difficult for them to make a run for the AFC North title.
There are several reasons for the Browns’ poor record this season, but Daryl Ruiter recently pointed to their root issue on X: Deshaun Watson.
Ruiter indicated that trading for Watson and signing him for a massive sum of money was a major mistake.
The Deshaun Watson trade and contract destroyed this competitive window for #Browns and it will also make the rebuild extremely difficult. Easy to say “trade [player]” but the cap ramifications that come with trades could be untenable.
He added that the team’s competitive window is “destroyed,” and that the team’s rebuild is that much more difficult.
Watson’s contract was fully guaranteed, and the team is paying him massive amounts of money, even though he’s sidelined.
The former Houston Texans quarterback was once known as one of the best in the league, but he doesn’t have that type of prestige anymore.
As a result of the trade, the Browns are now 2-7 on the year, which is tied for the worst record in the league.
With this in mind, it will be interesting to see if the Browns continue to tank, potentially securing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, or if they’ll turn things around under Jameis Winston moving forward.
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