4 quarterbacks Browns could have acquired instead of Deshaun Watson

Geno Smith

Geno Smith is the first quarterback we'll look at that shows how prudent other teams are at evaluating talent and finding diamonds in the rough while the Browns appear to have overpaid for the first shiny thing they could find.

Smith, who filled in at quarterback after Russell Wilson was traded, has proven to be everything the Seahawks needed in their signal caller and then some. After spending two years as a starter, Smith stayed in the background and appeared to be a career-long backup QB. But then, given the chance at starting in 2021 when filling in for an injured Wilson, there appeared to be some potential.

Seattle dug into that more when Wilson was traded.

Smith followed that up as the starter in 2022 with a solid 9-8 season and won Comeback Player of the Year decisively, also being named to his first Pro Bowl team.

Smith not only looks like a more productive quarterback than Watson at present, but he would also be more affordable. Smith has a three-year deal worth $105 million that has several off-ramps for the Seahawks and plenty of incentives driving the total value. His $25 million per year in average annual value still is far lower than Watson's $46 million.

Here's how Geno Smith compares to Watson in 2022 and 2023: