4 potential Cleveland Browns scapegoats if things go wrong in 2022
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns Scapegoat No. 1 – Andrew Berry
The only person who could face more scrutiny than Deshaun Watson himself if 2022 doesn’t end well, is the man who pulled the trigger on the trade. General manager, Andrew Berry, has made all the right moves in his short tenure with the Browns. He has made the tough decisions to let veteran players walk and has made the most of his draft picks.
We will never know how on-board Berry was with the Watson deal, or if higher powers (Jimmy and Dee Haslam) really pushed for it, but at the end of the day, Berry’s name will be on the trade. I highly doubt he was against it, but that truth will likely never be told.
Six picks and a fully guaranteed contract can set an organization back for decades if it doesn’t work out. Remember, this team didn’t have a first-round pick in 2022 and won’t have one until 2025 unless they make another trade. So, if things don’t work out, there really isn’t an option of drafting a new quarterback in the near future.
On the flip side, a quarterback like Watson can also make you relevant for the next decade. He has the type of talent where he makes players around him better. During his first few seasons, he showed flashes of being an MVP-type player, and that is hard to come by.
How many times have we watched the Browns have a top-five pick in the draft and three years later that guy isn’t even in the league anymore? Far more than I want to admit.
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The Watson trade very well could sink Berry’s career in Cleveland if it doesn’t go well, but I think he feels more than confident in the player he acquired.