Browns announce trade for Deshaun Watson, touting “extensive” homework on his off-field issues
March 20, 2022, 12:03 PM EDT
It’s not quite as pervasive as Tim Tebow repeatedly saying he was “excited” to join the Jets a decade ago, but the Browns have found a buzzword to utilize in announcing their trade for
Deshaun Watson.
“Extensive.”
That’s the one word that shows up in a trio of statements issued by the team in its official declaration of the acquisition of Watson. Quotes have been provided by owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, G.M. Andrew Berry, and coach Kevin Stefanski.
“We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson,” the Haslams said. “We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision. Our team’s comprehensive evaluation process was of utmost importance due to the sensitive nature of his situation and the complex factors involved. We also understand there are still some legal proceedings that are ongoing and we will respect due process. It was pivotal that we, along with Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski, meet with Deshaun to have a straightforward dialogue, discuss our priorities, and hear directly from him on how he wants to approach his career on and off the field. He was humble, sincere, and candid. In our conversations, Deshaun detailed his commitment to leading our team; he understands and embraces the hard work needed to build his name both in the community and on the field. Those in-depth conversations, the
extensive evaluation process, his dedication to being a great teammate and devotion to helping others within the NFL, within the community, and through his charitable initiatives provided the foundation for us to pursue Deshaun. We are confident in Deshaun and excited about moving forward with him as our quarterback and supporting his genuine and determined efforts.”
The statement seems to acknowledge, if not brace for, the blowback to acquiring Watson. The teams who pursued him surely realized that they would get a long-term franchise quarterback in exchange for a short-term P.R. and availability problem.
“We look forward to having Deshaun as our starting quarterback,” Berry said. “We have done
extensive investigative, legal and reference work over the past several months to provide us with the appropriate information needed to make an informed decision about pursuing him and moving forward with him as our quarterback. Deshaun has been among the very best at the position and he understands the work needed to re-establish himself on and off the field in Cleveland. We are confident that he will make positive contributions to our team and community as we support his return to football.”
THE REST OF THE STORY