ESPN’s “bold” Browns prediction is illogical even if many fans would like it or not…

ESPN’s “bold” Browns prediction is illogical even if many fans would like it or not

Considering Justin Fields’ prior at Ohio State, trading for him makes little sense.
Nothing has changed since the Cleveland Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson were linked a few years ago. While Watson was injured for the majority of 2023 and served an 11-game suspension in 2022, he did show some improvement.

There is a rumor circulating the NFL Combine that other teams thought the Browns quarterback, even if he doesn’t replicate his high-end play, will at least be excellent going forward. Additionally, Watson’s deal was altered by Cleveland during the offseason, shifting a larger portion of his fully guaranteed income to future years.

It goes without saying that the Browns and Watson will be together for a while, thus ESPN’s Seth Walder’s “bold prediction” of trade for quarterback Justin Fields is laughable:
I know this one is crazy. However, I would aim to upgrade at quarterback and view Deshaun Watson as mostly a sunk expense if I were the Browns. It would be difficult to accomplish this with Watson already receiving a large sum of money and no first-round selection. Although Fields is still under contract, it is possible to trade a second- or third-round selection for him, and I would like to see Fields in Kevin Stefanski’s offense. The other option is to just hope that Watson gets better and, if not, throw away another excellent roster year.

Why is it so ridiculous?

Due to the “sunk cost,” the organization must decide whether to part with him for $137 million or count $64 million against the salary cap. Another possibility is to exchange a second- or third-round selection for Fields’s May fifth-year option decision.

Since many Cleveland supporters are also Ohio State Buckeyes supporters, adding Fields would probably be well received. Many supporters have also hoped that Watson will move on from him, given his on-field problems, off-field legal troubles, and large salary.

“Bold” forecasts that lack a solid foundation in reasoning aren’t really bold; they’re absurd, despite what some fans and the media would want to believe.