PALM BEACH, Fla. — Cleveland co-owner Jimmy Haslam admitted that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” with their 2022 trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Haslam made the comments on Monday during a session with Browns reporters at the league meetings in Florida.

“We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole,” Haslam said. “Listen, I’ve said this I think numerous times, Deshaun Watson was an entire organization decision and it ends with (co-owner) Dee (Haslam) and I, so hold us accountable.”

The 29-year-old Watson has played in only 19 games since the Browns acquired him from the Houston Texans in 2022 and signed him to a five-year contract worth a fully guaranteed $230 million. Cleveland sent five draft picks to the Texans, including three first-round selections, to get the embattled quarterback.

Watson may miss the entire 2025 season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon for the second time in three months in January. He originally injured it during an Oct. 20, 2024, loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

In 2022, Watson missed the first 11 games because of a league suspension. He made just six starts in 2023 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury and started seven last year before the Achilles tendon injury.

Watson is 9-10 with Cleveland with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 80.7 passer rating.

The Browns have reworked Watson’s contract twice since December. Void years were added through 2030 to give them additional financial flexibility to spread out dead money on the contract instead of taking a massive hit in one season.

Cleveland has insurance that protects the contract and could get some cap relief from the NFL if he is out for the season.

The Browns have the second pick in the upcoming NFL draft after going 3-14 in 2024. They have hosted Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward — the top two quarterback prospects — and have the 33rd overall pick if they wait until the second round or want to move up to get another first-round pick.

Haslam though is not saying the Browns need to take a quarterback after Tennessee makes its selection to open the draft.

“I think the message is if the right person’s there, we’re going to take him,” Haslam said. “If not, we’ll figure it out for a year or two until we get the right person. There’s good football players in this draft and we’ve got to make sure we get the right ones for us.”

Besides Watson, the only other quarterback on Cleveland’s roster is Kenny Pickett, who was acquired from Philadelphia. The Browns had Russell Wilson in for a visit before he signed with the New York Giants.

Steelers still after Rodgers

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Mike Tomlin is staying in touch with Aaron Rodgers and is comfortable with Mason Rudolph as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“That’s why we brought him back,” Tomlin said Monday at the league’s annual meetings. “I’m comfortable with that. And we’ve been there before.”

Rudolph was 3-1 for the Steelers in 2023 with the loss coming in a wild-card game against Buffalo. Pittsburgh has a new offensive coordinator since Rudolph last played for the team. The offense had mixed results under Arthur Smith last season.

“Mason is not a kid. He’s been around, been in multiple systems and situations,” Tomlin said.

Meanwhile, is Tomlin communicating with Rodgers by calling, texting or FaceTiming the four-time NFL MVP?

“All of the above,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin, who spoke to Pittsburgh reporters a day earlier, addressed a large group of media members surrounding his table during a 30-minute availability for all AFC coaches.

“He’s a free agent,” Tomlin said of Rodgers. “As you guys know, he came to visit last Friday. We had a really productive day. He’s been in this thing a long time. I’ve been in this thing a long time. But it’s no substitute for, you know, intimacy and spending time together and getting to know one another in a non-competitive environment. And so that was really good. But I don’t have any new updates in terms of where the process is. We’ll see where it leads us.”

Asked if the uncertainty surrounding the team’s quarterback situation is unsettling, Tomlin replied: “I’m really comfortable with being unstuck at this time of year, to be quite honest with you.”

The Steelers allowed Russell Wilson (Giants) and Justin Fields (Jets) to leave in free agency and brought back Rudolph. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since reaching the AFC title game following the 2016 season.

The Steelers hold the 21st overall pick in the draft next month. Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart is a possibility whether the 41-year-old Rodgers signs with the team or not.

“It doesn’t appear to be devoid of talent,” Tomlin said of the draft class, which features Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. “I like a lot of the guys that I’ve met. Not only their tangible qualities, but their intangible qualities. And so, I’m feeling really good about the trajectory of the group.”

Rodgers is a free agent for the first time in his 20-year career. He could be contemplating retirement, signing with the Steelers or waiting for the Minnesota Vikings to express interest. The Vikings seem to ready to go with J.J. McCarthy.

“There is no drop dead date specifically in my mind, no,” Tomlin said about waiting for a decision.

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