When the Cleveland Browns traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson back in 2021, it was deemed as an aggressive move by the front office. Considering how bridges were burned with current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, the team went after Watson despite his off-the-field issues.
At the time, Watson was considered by most to be one of the top 10 quarterbacks when he was in Houston. Cleveland believed Watson was the missing piece to their team. Watson initially declined the Browns but GM Andrew Berry remained heavily persistent in their approach and it led them to acquire Watson.