Andrew Berry: Browns Brass Was Aligned On 2022 Deshaun Watson Trade

As the Browns sink to the AFC North basement following the offseason extensions for Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski, assigning blame for the Deshaun Watson decisions will come up as the organization moves forward.

Jimmy Haslam came out and said his GM hatched the plan to propose Watson the fully guaranteed $230MM. That contract call prompted the quarterback to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland after he had previously eliminated the team from consideration. Two-plus years after Haslam’s comments, Berry said the organization was in agreement on the move.

Asked if ownership mandated the Watson trade cross the goal line two years ago, Berry said (via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi) “All of us were on board.” This aligns with a recent report indicating Stefanski was in agreement with Berry about the trade, one that led Baker Mayfield to Charlotte and ultimately has the Browns in a historic predicament.

Watson’s Achilles tear prevented Stefanski from making the decision to bench the high-priced starter, as the fifth-year Browns HC had repeatedly said the embattled QB gave the team the best chance to win. Watson ranks last in QBR. When asked if a healthy Watson would play for the Browns again, Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot), “It’s always possible.” Stefanski had declined to confirm, due largely to Watson’s health, the QB would be his 2025 starter.

Berry, who was hired two weeks after Stefanski in 2020, said the two-time Coach of the Year is “part of the solution,” via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling. If ownership is to move on despite signing Berry and Stefanski to extensions (of unknown length), it would be unexpected that one would stay and the other would go. So, Berry’s endorsement may not carry too much weight here. At 2-7 and with Watson’s guarantees running through 2026, the Browns’ power duo should certainly not be considered locks to return in 2025.

The Browns outflanked the Falcons to land Watson, whom the Panthers and Saints also pursued as finalists three offseasons ago. All teams had agreed on trade terms with the Texans, who collected a historic haul for the Pro Bowl QB. Berry has seen his ability to build a roster around Watson take a hit due to the Browns not having a first-round pick since the trade. The Browns became the first team since the 1976 49ers (Jim Plunkett) to trade three first-rounders for a veteran QB; to say the deal has backfired would be a mild assessment of the situation.

Watson has not fit in Stefanski’s offense, with his play further declining despite the Browns booting OC Alex Van Pelt for Ken Dorsey this year. Dorsey is now calling the plays in Cleveland, with Stefanski stepping back for the first time in his tenure, but Jameis Winston — a Watson-backed QB addition — is at the controls. When asked if he regrets not bringing back Joe Flacco, who said repeatedly he wanted to return after his Comeback Player of the Year campaign, Berry responded (via Easterling) the he has “a lot of confidence” in the Browns’ current QB room. Flacco said the Browns did not offer him a deal.

Helping build rosters that feature a host of eight-figure-per-year players, Berry authorized two restructures of Watson’s contract — the second of which coming in August. That created cap space in 2023 and 2024 but has two monster cap numbers staring at the Browns for 2025 and ’26. Watson is due to count $72.9MM on Cleveland’s next two payrolls. With the eighth-year player settling his latest civil suit, the chances the Browns are bailed out by a second personal conduct suspension have been reduced. Though, an NFL investigation continues.

As it stands, the Browns are on the hook for two more fully guaranteed $46MM base salaries — and the inflated cap hits that came from the restructures. It would cost the Browns $172MM to cut Watson in 2025, and even though that would be spread over two years in a post-June 1 transaction, the sum would more than double the current single-player dead money record — Russell Wilson‘s $83MM-plus tab the Broncos are navigating. Wilson’s dead cap more than doubling the previous single-player record illustrates how far into uncharted territory the Browns are because of their controversial 2022 trade.

When asked about how Watson’s contract will hinder the Browns down the road, Berry responded (via Cabot) “We’ll be able to build a team” regardless of that deal being on the books. Whether Berry is around to make those decisions will be perhaps the lead Browns storyline entering the 2025 offseason.

While Haslam authorized Berry and Stefanski extensions, the owner has been quite active in firing HCs and execs during his 13-year tenure. Will the Watson decisions sink both Berry and Stefanski (or just one?), or will ownership exercise uncharacteristic patience following this season’s significant step back?