The 2024 NFL Draft results are in and while fair grades and evaluations on the drafted players and each team’s draft class can’t come for years, it did provide final results for the blockbuster trades involving Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson in recent years.
When the Cleveland Browns originally traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022, the Houston Texans received draft picks from the 2022, 2023 and 2024 NFL Draft. Likewise, the New York Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers in 2023 from the Green Bay Packers for draft picks in 2023 and 2024.
Also Read: 2025 NFL Draft prospect rankings
While it’s true that the players the Texans, Packers, Jets and Browns each selected in the 2024 NFL Draft can’t be judged this early into NFL careers that haven’t even started, we can now see the final results from the deal and see clear winners.
Final results from the Deshaun Watson trade
Here are the final results from the blockbuster Browns-Texans trade made in March 2022.
- Cleveland Browns received
- Deshaun Watson
- 2024 sixth-round pick — Packaged to acquire wide receiver Jerry Jeudy
- Houston Texans received
- 2022 1st – offensive lineman Kenyon Green
- 2022 4th – running back Dameon Pierce
- 2023 1st – edge rusher Will Anderson Jr
- 2023 3rd – wide receiver Tank Dell
- 2024 1st – Traded to Minnesota Vikings
- 2024 2nd – cornerback Kamari Lassiter
- 2024 6th – linebacker Jamal Hill
- 2025 2nd (MIN)
- 2024 4th – safety Calen Bullock
This obviously doesn’t even account for the additional fact that the Browns are stuck with the worst contract in the NFL, a fully guaranteed deal for Watson with the quarterback carrying a $63 million cap hit in each of the next three seasons. Meanwhile, the Texans now have a better quarterback (C.J. Stroud) just entering the second year of his rookie contract. For the Browns, it’s one of the worst trades in NFL history.
Also Read: Atlanta Falcons had stunning draft grade on Michael Penix Jr.
Final results from Aaron Rodgers trade
Rodgers and the Packers were both ready to move on from one another following the 2022 NFL season. While the future Hall of Famer limited Green Bay’s options, only wanting to play for the Jets, the Packers still fared well in the April 2023 trade.
- New York Jets received:
- Aaron Rodgers
- 2023 1st (pick swap) – edge rusher Will McDonald
- 2023 5th: Traded down, became safety Jarrick Bernard-Converse and tight end Zack Kuntz
- Green Bay Packers received:
- 2023 1st (pick swap) – edge rusher Lukas Van Ness
- 2023 2nd – tight end Luke Musgrave
- 2023 6th – kicker Anders Carlson
- 2024 2nd – Traded down
- 45th overall – linebacker Edgerrin Cooper
- 168th overall – safety Evan Williams
- 190th overall center Jacob Monk
The Jets certainly lost the deal immediately, with Rodgers’ Achilles injury wiping out a year of Super Bowl contention. New York still has a chance to benefit from the deal if they compete for a Super Bowl this season, but Rodgers is now 40 years old so the title window is closing fast. As for the Packers, they have their new franchise quarterback and added more depth and potential starters to remain long-term contenders.
Related: NFL QB rankings
