The Houston Texans traded three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.
The Texans get back a total of five draft picks in the trade, including three first-round picks, giving Houston twin first-rounders from 2022-24.
General manager Nick Caserio issued a statement Friday after the trade and outlined why he chose to make the deal with the Browns.
“Earlier today, we agreed to trade Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns,” Caserio said. “I felt it was the right move for our organization as we head into the new league year focused on building our roster for the 2022 season. Our priority right now is adding talented players to the foundation we have already put in place over the last 15 months and this trade supports that plan. As we navigate through the rest of the offseason, we remain open-minded to all avenues that allow us to improve our roster and add to our program.”
Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said that he was “proud” of how Caserio worked through the Watson ordeal and expressed confidence in Caserio’s vision for the team.
“I’m extremely proud of the way Nick Caserio navigated us through this challenging situation,” McNair said. “He remained patient before ultimately making the decision that is best for us in both the short and long term. We’re confident in our plan to build a championship program that can sustain success and our entire organization is excited to move forward together.”
The Texans have first-round picks at No. 3 and No. 13 overall in the 2022 NFL draft thanks to the Watson deal.
