One year ago, the Houston Texans were thought to be one of the worst teams in football. However, entering the upcoming 2024 season, they are viewed as a Super Bowl dark horse. It appears the Texans brass hit on DeMeco Ryans as a head coach, and then drafted the eventual 2023 Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year in C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. The Texans also have the Cleveland Browns to thank for their expedited rebuild.
In 2022, the Browns traded a tremendous package to the Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson. Just two years later, that transaction already appears to be one of the worst trades in NFL history.
During a recent appearance on the “Ultimate Fan” podcast, Hannah McNair, the Texans vice president and wife of Texans owner Cal McNair, asked, “Have you thanked a Brown lately?” Not because Cleveland got throttled by Houston in Super Wild Card Weekend last year, 45-14, but because of the Watson trade.
“I thank ’em for all of our players,” McNair said.
CBS Sports recently revisited the Watson trade, and all the players Houston acquired in the deal. Here were the picks Cleveland sent over:
A 2022 first-round pick (13th)A 2022 fourth-round pick (104)A 2023 first-round pick (12)A 2023 third-round pick (73)A 2024 first-round pick (23)A 2024 fourth-round pick (123)
Here’s how all of those picks were used:
The 2022 first (13) was traded to the Eagles for Nos. 15 (OL Kenyon Green), 124, 162, and 166Pick No. 124 was subsequently traded to the Browns with 68 and 108 for No. 44 (WR John Metchie III)Pick No. 162 was subsequently traded to the Broncos with 80 for No. 75 (DL Christian Harris)Pick No. 166 was subsequently traded to the Bears with 207 for No. 150 (DL Thomas Booker)The 2022 fourth (104) was used on RB Dameon PierceThe 2023 first (12) was traded to the Cardinals with 33 and a 2024 1st (27) for Nos. 3 (DE Will Anderson Jr.) and 105Pick No. 105 was subsequently traded to the Eagles for a 2024 3rd, which was used on DB Calen BullockThe 2023 third (73) was traded to the Rams with 161 for No. 69 (WR Tank Dell)The 2024 1st (23) was traded to the Vikings with 232 for Nos. 42 (DB Kamari Lassiter), 188 (LB Jamal Hill) and MIN’s 2025 2ndThe 2024 fourth (123) was traded to the Eagles and then back to the Texans and used on TE Cade Stover
Not only did the Texans land some big names from this transaction, but Watson has struggled since being moved to Cleveland. He’s missed 11 games in each of his first two seasons with the Browns, due to suspension and injuries, and ranks 35th or worse in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating among 45 qualified quarterbacks over the last two years.
The Browns have averaged 19.7 offensive points per game in Watson’s starts, while all other starting Browns quarterbacks over the last two years have averaged 21.5 offensive points per game. As for Houston’s quarterback situation, the Texans selected Stroud No. 2 overall last year, and he put together one of the best rookie campaigns of all time.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/texans-vp-hannah-mcnair-still-thanking-browns-for-all-of-our-players-two-years-after-deshaun-watson-trade/
