Factory Of Sadness
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The 2016 Browns and Eagle trade had a winner that wasn’t CLE or PHI

By Chad Porto

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns talks to quarterback DeShone Kizer #7 during a game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Jets defeated the Browns 17-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns talks to quarterback DeShone Kizer #7 during a game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 8, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Jets defeated the Browns 17-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Browns (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

"Eagles – QB Carson Wentz Texans – QB Deshaun Watson Giants -SS Jabrill Peppers, DT Dexter Lawrence, OLB Oshane Ximines Browns – WR Odell Beckham Jr., DE Jordan Elliot, CB Denzel Ward"

Looking at the Eagles, Carson Wentz and the Eagles were among one of the best teams in the NFL in 2017 but without that one season, the Eagles have had a losing record with him at quarterback. While Wentz went to the 2017 Pro Bowl the same year his team won the Super Bowl, it wasn’t Wentz or his Pro Bowl performances that did it. No, it was Nick Foles, Wentz’s backup. So even though the Eagles gave away a fortune, it hasn’t netted them the success they had hoped for.

That other first-round pick went to Houston, where the Texans got Deshaun Watson, a very good franchise quarterback whom the Browns just handed a loss to in 2020. Despite the Texans mostly-down 2020 season, no one can argue that they made a mistake in picking Watson. You can make that claim for the Eagles, but not for the Texans.

The Giants also somehow snuck into this, as they rebuilt their defense after the Browns traded Jabrill Peppers as part of a package to the Giants to get Odell Beckham Jr. It should be noted that even though the Browns traded Peppers and Kevin Zeitler, they were, in fact, different trades with Peppers and draft picks bringing back Beckham and Zeitler bringing back Olivier Vernon.

Ultimately, when all the trades were made the dust settled, the Browns landed Denzel Ward, Beckham Jr., and Jordan Elliot. While Beckham should be moved in the 2021 offseason, and Elliot has shown very little in the way of development so far in 20202, landing Ward is a huge get. Ward will be the team’s best secondary player for years to come (hopefully) and if that holds true then a multi-time Pro Bowl corner for a multi-time Pro Bowl quarterback isn’t bad.

That said, the winner of the Eagles and Browns 2016 trade ended up being the Texans somehow. Their selection of Watson has given the team their best quarterback ever and it wouldn’t have been possible if the Browns hadn’t fleeced the Eagles the year before.

Who saw that coming?

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