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Why don't Browns pick in Round 1 of 2024 NFL Draft? Revisiting Cleveland's Deshaun Watson trade

Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY NETWORK
·4 min read

Barring a trade, the Cleveland Browns will likely not make any new additions to their 2024 roster during Thursday's NFL Draft.

That is because the Browns do not hold a first-round pick. Cleveland will have six selections throughout the three-day draft, beginning with two picks on Day 2 of the draft. The reason Cleveland does not own its own first-round pick is quarterback Deshaun Watson.

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The Browns traded for Watson from the Houston Texans for six draft picks ― including three first-round picks ― and then awarded the former Clemson football star with a contract extension with $230 million in fully guaranteed money. Watson has missed 22 of his 34 games since being traded to Cleveland due to a suspension and then a season-ending shoulder injury last season.

Here's what you need to know about the blockbuster trade the Browns made in March 2022, with the final draft pick from the trade heading to the Texans this season:

Cleveland Browns Deshaun Watson trade details

Here's a look back at the blockbuster trade made on March 20, 2022:

Browns receive:

  • QB Deshaun Watson

  • 2024 sixth-round pick

Texans receive:

  • 2022 first-round pick (G Kenyon Green, via trade)

  • 2022 fourth-round pick (RB Dameon Pierce)

  • 2023 first-round pick (DE Will Anderson Jr., via trade)

  • 2023 third-round pick (WR Tank Dell)

  • 2024 first-round pick

  • 2024 fourth-round pick

Deshaun Watson stats with Cleveland Browns

Watson ― whom the Texans selected No. 12 in the 2017 NFL Draft ― was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 regular season and fined $5 million for sexual harassment allegations and 22 lawsuits filed against him by numerous women. He returned in Week 11 to lead the Browns to a victory over the Texans, and finished the season with a 3–3 record as the starting quarterback. He threw for 1,102 passing yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

Last season, Watson injured his shoulder in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans and then re-aggravated it in Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts and Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens. He was shut down after the second aggravation and diagnosed with a rotator cuff injury and a scapula fracture. Watson led the Browns to a 5-1 in games he played before his season-ending surgery, after which Joe Flacco helped lead the Browns to the playoffs.

Watson is 8-4 in his 12 starts with Cleveland, completing 60% of his passes for 2,217 yards,14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions (81.7 rating). Watson is 37th in passer rating, 41st in completion rate, 34th in touchdown passes, and 37th in yards per attempt among 44 quarterbacks who have thrown at least 200 pass attempts in the last two seasons.

The Browns are hoping to return running back Nick Chubb to full health and have added receivers Jerry Jeudy (trade with Denver Broncos) and Elijah Moore (trade with New York Jets) to complement receiver Amari Cooper, as they look to continue to build around Watson.

Cleveland Browns 2024 NFL Draft picks

The Browns do not have a first-, fourth- or fifth-round draft pick in 2024. However, Cleveland does own three draft picks from other teams: a fifth-round pick from Philadelphia, a sixth-round pick from Baltimore and a sixth-round pick from Tennessee. The Browns have six in total:

  • Round 2: Pick 54

  • Round 3: Pick 85

  • Round 5: No. 156 (from Philadelphia via Arizona)

  • Round 6: No. 206 (from Baltimore)

  • Round 6: No. 227 (from Tennessee)

  • Round 7: No. 243

Cleveland Browns 2024 NFL Draft needs

According to NFL.com's Chad Reuter, the Browns have a number of needs they need to fill in the draft:

"Injuries at offensive tackle suffered last season and the 2025 free agency of Jedrick Wills should push the Browns to find depth at that position, as well as Day 3 picks on the interior O-line, at receiver and at tight end. The team found one new starting linebacker in Jordan Hicks and added defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson in free agency but should add one more player at each position in the draft."

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Why don't Browns pick in Round 1 of 2024 NFL Draft? Revisiting Cleveland's Deshaun Watson trade