Watson to the Browns.

[Downunder Dolphan]

This maybe the dumbest deal of all time.

Regardless if you believe the allegations or not….

The Browns gave a guy who has learned that he can get whatever he wants to a fully guaranteed contract.  What happens the next time he throws a temper tantrum?  He also has learned regardless of what he does off field he is untouchable.

And while he is a good player (when he chooses to be) football is a team sport.  The Browns have no ability to build a team around him.  They gave up too many picks to build a team though the draft and too much money to build a team thru FA.

The Vikings giving a 3rd for Randy Moss was brilliant in comparison.

If Watson is suspended for a good part of the season and Mayfield walks out, there's also the potential the Browns could tank and all of a sudden at least one of those low first rounders becomes a high one... just look at what happened with the Texans after they made the massive trade for Tunsil, and how good our picks from them ended up becoming!

The other thing no one has mentioned is that Watson has already spent a full year out of the NFL. Now I'm not necessarily saying he's been shining his bum on a seat or adopted the JaMarcus Russell diet in the last twelve months, but you would have to be optimistic to expect him to light up the best defenses immediately after that time off... yet the bounty the Browns have paid suggests just that.

This has got to be just about the biggest trade gamble by an NFL team I can recall seeing. If it pays off good luck to Cleveland, but lord help them if it goes sour.

[EDGECRUSHER]

One positive thing that I see from this deal is that it is fully guaranteed and going forward, that will change how some contracts are done. The NFL has always been a sham with it's contracts, but now the top QBs coming up for new deals in the next few years like Burrows, Herbert and Lamar Jackson will absolutely not settle for anything less but fully guaranteed.

Eventually, this will trickle down to star players at non-QB positions until eventually every deal will be guaranteed.

[Spider-Dan]

Good.  Coaches and front office staff have guaranteed deals, no matter how bad they perform at their job.  Why should players be any different?

[ArtieChokePhin]

Good.  Coaches and front office staff have guaranteed deals, no matter how bad they perform at their job.  Why should players be any different?

No contract in any sport should be guaranteed.

[Spider-Dan]

No contract in any sport should be guaranteed.

Really, you're just saying "Get rid of contracts," right?  All employment should be at-will?

Or are you saying that ownership should be able to cancel the contract at any time, but employees should be bound to it?

[ArtieChokePhin]

ownership should be able to cancel the contract at any time, but employees should be bound to it?

This is exactly what I'm saying.  This is a job.  The owner signs your paycheck.   He who signs your checks should be able to decide whether or not he wants to continue to do so.   

Again, it's a JOB.  And the terms of the job are that you can be let go for underperformance.  Don't like it?   There are thousands of men as talented as you who would love to take your job.

[masterfins]

One positive thing that I see from this deal is that it is fully guaranteed and going forward, that will change how some contracts are done. The NFL has always been a sham with it's contracts, but now the top QBs coming up for new deals in the next few years like Burrows, Herbert and Lamar Jackson will absolutely not settle for anything less but fully guaranteed.

Eventually, this will trickle down to star players at non-QB positions until eventually every deal will be guaranteed.

Yeah, but if this ends up being the disaster that I think it will be, THEN it reinforces to teams that you don't fully guarantee long contracts.

[Spider-Dan]

This is exactly what I'm saying.  This is a job.  The owner signs your paycheck.   He who signs your checks should be able to decide whether or not he wants to continue to do so.   

Again, it's a JOB.  And the terms of the job are that you can be let go for underperformance.

But if another owner will offer me more money, too bad, a contract is a contract and I have to stay?  That's crazy.

It's ridiculous to have a system where one side gets to cancel a "contract" at will.  That's not how "contracts" work in any other business.  You wanna get rid of contracts entirely and have everything be at-will employment?  OK, fine.  But a system where players are bound to the contract they signed but owners aren't is just dumb.

Don't like it?   There are thousands of men as talented as you who would love to take your job.

And yet, when there are plenty of other owners who would love to pay a player more than they're earning on their current contract, the authorities step in to say, "No no, you're not allowed to do that."

Sauce for the goose...

[Dave Gray]

You can't have players be bound to contracts but owners not.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Yeah, but if this ends up being the disaster that I think it will be, THEN it reinforces to teams that you don't fully guarantee long contracts.

Understandable concern, but the elite guys will still demand it and someone will give in. If Patrick Mahomes ever hit the market, why not guarantee all 5-6 years? Someone will and if you expect him to still be elite, then it shouldn't stop you from offering it as well.

[Spider-Dan]

One other big thing I missed:

There are thousands of men as talented as you who would love to take your job.

No, there are not "thousands of men" as talented as Deshaun Watson who want to take his job.  There aren't even TEN people on this planet who can do his job better than him, which is why he's able to get a fully guaranteed contract.

[Phishfan]

Here's the thing about contracts, they are written all the time where one party can cancel if they choose based on performance criteria. The thing with the NFL is they don't write the criteria out.is that problematic, probably so because the players don't know the exact criteria they have to meet but I think spelling it out for every player scenario would be complicated.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Here's the thing about contracts, they are written all the time where one party can cancel if they choose based on performance criteria. The thing with the NFL is they don't write the criteria out.is that problematic, probably so because the players don't know the exact criteria they have to meet but I think spelling it out for every player scenario would be complicated.

It would destroy teams. If a WR had to get 1,000 yards in a season, then he would have to beg for the ball on every play or lose his job. Even if he is being double teamed and the other receiver is feasting off of it and the team is winning.

The only solution is the NFLPA finally growing some balls and doing what needs to be done. Most brutal sport with the shortest careers and lowest quality of life after playing and they can't even get guaranteed money.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Most brutal sport with the shortest careers and lowest quality of life after playing and they can't even get guaranteed money.

And that may be why the money isn't guaranteed.   Because the owners get hurt financially if their star players sustain serious/career ending injuries.   

[Spider-Dan]

And that may be why the money isn't guaranteed.   Because the owners get hurt financially if their star players sustain serious/career ending injuries.

A very large number of contracts (nearly all?) are guaranteed for injury.

Injured players are not just thrown to the curb and left to fend for themselves.