If one were to say that the Cleveland Browns' trade for Deshaun Watson was the worst in NFL history, not many fans would argue with that statement. Yet, here we are, entering the 2026 season with Watson being in the running to start at quarterback for the Browns.
Browns fans don't exactly love the timeline they're in right now where either Watson or Shedeur Sanders are starting at the most important position but, sadly, that's the timeline we're living in. If Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated's bold prediction comes true, however, the Watson trade might not end up going down in history the way it currently appears to be.
Orr put together his list of bold predictions for the 2026 season and had Watson in a two-horse race for the Comeback Player of the Year award. Orr's crystal ball had Watson ultimately losing the award to Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
"Jayden Daniels will eventually edge out Deshaun Watson, though the point is that both of these quarterbacks will have a major reversal of fortune in 2026. The more surprising, of course, is Watson, who seems to be cementing a vice grip on the Browns’ starting quarterback job in 2026 under new head coach Todd Monken. While this development feels surprising, given that the Watson trade is understood as one of the worst in NFL history thanks to his slew of injuries, poor play and unsavory path to Cleveland, there is also the acknowledgement that Monken is far more accustomed to working with a quarterback of Watson’s skill set than former Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski was."
SI boldly predicts Deshaun Watson as a Comeback Player of the Year contender
The Comeback Player of the Year award goes to the player who has the best bounce-back year. Usually, it's after an injury shortened his previous season (that's been the case with the last two winners in Christian McCaffrey and Joe Burrow) but Joe Flacco won it in 2023 after coming off the couch and helping lead the Browns to a playoff appearance that season. Watson missed all of 2025 after rupturing his Achilles in 2024 and then re-rupturing it months later.
If Watson is in the running for the Comeback Player of the Year award, that means he has a respectable season in 2026. This would be quite the feat considering how poorly his Browns tenure has gone so far and might put the Browns in a tough spot moving forward.
On the one hand, if Watson plays well, that probably means the Browns are a competitive team in 2026. On the other hand, it's hard to get excited for a possible resurgent season from a guy as unlikable as Watson. He's put this team through hell since his arrival and while the Browns only have themselves to blame for that, celebrating him after all of that would be a tough pill to swallow.
Add us as a preferred source on Google