Welcome to another glorious edition of “Trash Player of the Week” on Hot Garbage, where we take a closer look at those athletes who, for reasons that defy logic, continue to disappoint. This week’s honoree is none other than Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson—the man with a $230 million contract and a resume that looks more like a cautionary tale than a highlight reel.

The Contract That Broke the NFL

Let’s get one thing straight: Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed $230 million contract is a joke. Not a good joke, mind you—more like that cringeworthy uncle at Thanksgiving who thinks he’s hilarious, but no one’s laughing. The Cleveland Browns bet the farm on a guy who hadn’t played football in over a year and was surrounded by enough off-field controversy to make an episode of Dateline. And for what? A grand total of mediocrity.

When Watson signed that eye-watering deal, Browns fans thought they were getting a franchise savior, a player who would finally make Cleveland relevant for more than just their never-ending carousel of quarterbacks. What they got instead was a player who looks like he’s forgotten how to play football. He’s been rusty, inconsistent, and far from the MVP-level player the Browns were banking on.

At $230 million, you’d expect some bang for your buck, right? Instead, the Browns are getting the football equivalent of an overpriced paperweight. And if that’s not enough to make Watson our Trash Player of the Week, buckle up—it gets worse.

A Performance That Screams “Average”

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Deshaun Watson’s performances since returning to the NFL have been lackluster, to say the least. For a guy who was once touted as one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, Watson now looks like a shadow of his former self. Whether it’s rust, a lack of chemistry with his teammates, or just the weight of his off-field issues dragging him down, he’s not getting it done.

In his debut for the Browns, Watson barely completed half of his passes and threw for fewer than 200 yards. Since then, he’s shown flashes of his old self, but those moments are few and far between. Most of the time, Watson looks like a guy who’s trying to remember how to play football while also wondering why the fans aren’t cheering for him.

Watson’s decision-making? Woeful. His accuracy? Inconsistent. His leadership? Questionable at best. In the world of the NFL, where elite quarterbacks make their money by winning games and elevating the players around them, Watson has done neither. Instead, he’s been a passenger on a Browns team that was supposed to take a giant leap forward but has instead stagnated under his “leadership.”

Off-Field Issues That Won’t Go Away

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Deshaun Watson’s off-field controversies. The less said about the legal battles, the better, but let’s just say it’s not exactly a great look when your starting quarterback has more lawsuits than touchdown passes. Watson’s reputation took a nosedive after numerous allegations of misconduct surfaced, and while he’s managed to avoid jail time, his image is permanently tarnished.

For a lot of fans, it’s hard to root for a guy with that much baggage. And can you blame them? This is the same player who sat out the entire 2021 season not because of injury, but because he was embroiled in a legal nightmare. When your off-field issues are as big as, if not bigger than, your on-field performance, you’ve got a serious problem.

The Browns took a massive PR hit by trading for Watson, and they knew it. They tried to sell the idea that Watson had changed, that he’d learned from his mistakes, and that he was ready to move forward. But here we are, months later, and Watson’s play on the field hasn’t exactly done much to repair his damaged reputation. If anything, it’s only added fuel to the fire.

Cleveland’s Endless Quarterback Curse Continues

For Cleveland Browns fans, Watson was supposed to be the guy who finally ended the team’s decades-long quarterback nightmare. After enduring a laundry list of failed experiments like Johnny Manziel, Brandon Weeden, and DeShone Kizer, Browns fans were understandably desperate for a savior.

Instead, what they got was another chapter in Cleveland’s long, sad quarterback saga. Watson’s arrival hasn’t brought stability or success—it’s brought more questions, more frustration, and, of course, more losing. Browns fans have been waiting for a franchise quarterback since the days of Bernie Kosar, and it’s becoming clearer by the week that Watson is not the answer.

The $230 Million Question: Was It Worth It?

At this point, it’s fair to ask: was signing Deshaun Watson to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract the worst decision in recent NFL history? The early returns suggest that, yes, it might be. Watson’s contract has hamstrung the Browns financially, making it difficult for them to build a winning roster around him. And for what? A quarterback who’s playing like a slightly above-average backup? Yikes.

The Browns went all-in on Watson, and it’s looking more and more like a colossal mistake. Sure, there’s still time for him to turn things around, but with each passing game, it becomes harder to believe that he’ll ever return to the form that once made him an MVP candidate. And if he doesn’t, Cleveland is going to be stuck with one of the most overpaid, underperforming players in NFL history.

Congratulations, Deshaun

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Deshaun Watson is our Trash Player of the Week. He’s a player who was once brimming with potential but now looks like he’s in way over his head. He’s the $230 million mistake that Cleveland can’t escape, a quarterback who’s become more of a liability than an asset.

So here’s to you, Deshaun Watson: the man who broke the Browns’ bank and delivered nothing but disappointment in return. Keep collecting those game checks, because at this rate, it’s the only thing you’re winning.