Off-season thoughts (Vol. XV)

For those of you who believed stability finally arrived at the top of the Browns' chain of command with the arrivals of Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski, along comes the Deshaun Watson Saga, a.k.a the Deshaun Watson Sweepstakes, The Courtship Of Deshaun Watson and The Hunt For Deshaun Watson.

When the Houston Texans quarterback escaped criminal prosecution for numerous charges of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior over the weekend, it signalled a rush by several National Football League teams needing a quarterback to obtain his services by meeting the Texans' trade demands

It's widely known Watson no longer wants to take snaps in a Houston uniform. And the Texans are willing to accommodate him if their stringent trade demands -- at least three first-round draft picks -- are met. That's where it gets messy from a Cleveland standpoint.

Right now, it's a four-team race to win the big prize. New Orleans, Carolina and Atlanta -- all NFC teams -- join the Browns as the challengers thus far. The Browns and Atlanta theoretically do not need a quarterback.

Berry has one in Baker Mayfield, of course, but that didn't stop him from trotting out his gambling gene and blowing his image of being level-headed, not prone to making wild and crazy decisions.

The intoxicating thought of Watson commanding the huddle for the Browns in the near future and beyond seems to have messed somewhat with the aforementioned stability. It definitely would be a massive upgrade, though, and reenergize Super Bowl talk.

If I'm not mistaken, the Cleveland general manager as recently as two months ago strongly indicated  Mayfield was going to be club's quarterback in 2022. And he looked for a big comeback from his miserable 2021 season. 

So why were Berry, Stefanski and owner Jimmy Haslam III down in Houston basically worshipping at the throne of Watson face to face the last couple of days?

Because that was then and this is now. Situations change. So do plans. Back then, Mayfield was the man. Not anymore. A grand jury in Harris County abruptly changed the landscape.

The Browns have not addressed the story publicly, even though it's been widely reported they have met the Texans' trade demands for Watson. Radio silence by the Browns suggests the reports are factual. It appears the Browns are willing to mortgage their future to bring Watson to Cleveland.

The biggest hurdle for the Browns right now, it would seem, is the no-trade clause in Watson's contract. If the Texans choose the Browns' trade offer, for example, Watson can crush it refusing to be traded to Cleveland. It appears he and the Texans must agree on the package and destination.

It would also make sense for the AFC South Texans to prefer one of the NFC teams. That way, they would have to face Watson just once every four years. 

Adding to the drama is an open letter via Twitter by Mayfield to the city of Cleveland and Browns fans Tuesday night. Sure read like a goodbye letter. He, perhaps correctly, senses his turbulent time in Cleveland is over. That would be the case if Watson chooses Cleveland.

If not, though, what happens?  Do the Browns trade him anyway because their lack of faith in him has eroded to the point where he would be better off somewhere else? Or does he return if everything else falls through?

Can't imagine how difficult and uncomfortable it would be if the final act of this bad soap opera winds up with Mayfield back at training camp in Berea this summer, acting as though nothing happened. Just the residue of doing business. 

Ironically, the Texans' decision will be made by General Manager Nick Caserio, a Cleveland-area native who attended University School and John Carroll University before eventually coaching with and then moving into the front office of the New England Patriots before moving to Houston last season.