After all of the drama that ensued around Deshaun Watson and his multiple sexual assault allegations, the Cleveland Browns traded for the superstar quarterback. The franchise received a ton of criticism for the move, especially after they gave Watson a sizeable contract extension. Now, after letting the dust settle, head coach Kevin Stefanski opens up about the controversial trade.
According to Nate Ulrich, Stefanski claims he spoke with Watson leading up to the trade. Unfortunately, the Browns' head coach didn't go into explicit details about the conversations, but did claim “meeting face to face was important.”
#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he asked Deshaun Watson tough questions when team brass met with him in buildup to trade, didn't want to get into details, but said meeting face to face was important
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) March 28, 2022
Kevin Stefanski also briefly mentioned the backlash the Browns received for making the trade. It sounds like Cleveland spent a ton of time researching and speaking with Deshaun Watson before ultimately deciding to trade for the star quarterback, per Nate Ulrich.
Article Continues Below#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski on backlash from Deshaun Watson trade: It's not something that's taken lightly, it's too important, it's something that took months of gathering info and conversations
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) March 28, 2022
We'll see how it all plays out for this organization. Deshaun Watson hasn't played football in over a year and he comes back to a troubled franchise packed with drama of their own. The Browns are hopeful Watson can lead the team to a better outcome, as Baker Mayfield has failed to be the franchise quarterback Cleveland hoped he would become.
Despite the controversy, Kevin Stefanski and the Browns are likely excited to get to work with his newly acquired quarterback. Before refusing to play for the Houston Texans and being given over 20 sexual assault accusations, Watson was deemed as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. It'll be interesting to see how he plays, as the NFL is still likely to suspend the quarterback over his open civil suits.
Keep an eye on the Browns and Deshaun Watson, as this franchise hopes to turn the tide and wash away years of misery. It'll be tough though, as the AFC North is one of the most competitive divisions in the league.