Browns Land $75 Million 2-Time Pro Bowl Watson Replacement in Trade Idea

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Deshaun Watson throwing the football.

The Cleveland Browns aren’t the only team in the NFL dealing with issues at the quarterback position. While Deshaun Watson has statistically been one of the worst quarterbacks in football since debuting in a Browns jersey, other teams have had their fair share of issues at quarterback.

That could be for more reasons than just play, too. Some quarterbacks are on bad contracts, while some aren’t game-changers. Nonetheless, there are problems with many around the league, including Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks are in a tough position regarding Smith’s future. Smith is looking for an extension from his three-year, $75 million deal, and it’s uncertain if Seattle will give him that when the time comes.

If not, and the Browns get creative with cap space, he could be a potential trade candidate for Cleveland.

Fred Greetham of 247 Sports pitched the idea of trading for Smith, focusing on the Seahawks’ own cap issues and more.

“Smith led the Seahawks to 10 wins but it did not result in a playoff berth. Smith passed for 4,320 yards with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, completing 70.4 percent of his passes. He finished 18th in the NFL with a passer rating of 93.2 in 2024. Smith has a roster bonus of $16 million due on March 16.

“There is some talk around the Seahawks that the Seahawks might not want to extend Smith, who will be 35 next October. The Seahawks have salary cap issues and if Smith was released or traded before the roster bonus is due, the Seahawks would save $31 million. The Browns would take on the $31 million for a season and would likely do a re-structure,” Greetham wrote on January 14.

What Would the Seahawks Get in Return?

Moving on from Smith would mean the Seattle Seahawks need a replacement. They have a talented roster and could compete if they brought someone else in.

However, with only one year remaining on his contract, his age, and not necessarily being elite, the Cleveland Browns shouldn’t have to trade anything significant to land him. The No. 2 pick is certainly off the table in this scenario unless the Browns double down on their past mistakes and make another trade they shouldn’t.

Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic believes the Seahawks could be looking at a pick outside of the first round, which is something the Browns could give up.

“Let’s assume Seattle finds a partner and acquires at least one pick outside of the first round. This would arm the Seahawks with additional draft capital and cap space to go down a path similar to the first option: pair a rookie with a low-cost veteran free agent quarterback and let the two of them compete with Howell in the summer.

“Seattle would not be expected to use the cap relief on a slew of pricey free agent upgrades at other positions for the reasons mentioned above,” Dugar wrote on January 10.

Would Smith Be an Upgrade?

Watson hasn’t lived up to anything the Cleveland Browns hoped for. From the package they sent for him to the money they gave him, almost anyone else but Watson would be an upgrade.

Smith has put together decent numbers over the past three years, and even if he isn’t perfect, a quarterback who’s thrown for over 4,250 yards in two of the past three seasons and 71 touchdowns in three years would be an immediate upgrade.