Browns trade a quarterback and sign another after Deshaun Watson acquisition

The Cleveland Browns traded a backup quarterback and replaced him with a free agent signing following the Deshaun Watson trade.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback room has been drastically altered this offseason. The team acquired Deshaun Watson, who is facing 22 civil lawsuits stemming from allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, from the Houston Texans in exchange for multiple high draft picks, in addition to giving the quarterback a five-year, $230 million contract. This came after the Browns were initially ruled out of the running earlier in the week and Baker Mayfield requested a trade off the team.

A trade did take place on Saturday, but it did not involve Mayfield.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Browns traded backup quarterback Case Keenum to the Buffalo Bills for a 2022 seventh-round draft pick. The team effectively replaced him with Jacoby Brissett, who signed a one-year deal with Cleveland, per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Browns trade quarterback and sign another after Deshaun Watson acquisition

Keenum joined Cleveland back in 2020 on a three-year, $18 million contract. In the past two seasons, Keenum appeared in nine games, starting in two. He threw for 508 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while completing 63.4-percent of his passes. Now, he is set to backup Josh Allen on the Bills.

Brissett, a 2016 NFL Draft pick by the New England Patriots, was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 to fill in for an injured Andrew Luck. Two years later, Brissett was starter once again after Luck announced his retirement ahead of the 2019 season.

In 46 games (30 starts) with the Colts, Brissett completed 59.5-percent of his passes for 6,059 yards, 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Brissett was part of the Miami Dolphins this past season, where he earned five starts in 11 games. He threw for 1,283 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Even though Watson was not criminally charged, he could still face punishment by the NFL. If he were to be suspended, then Brissett would start in his place. In his career, Brissett has a 14-23 win-loss record.