How the Deshaun Watson trade is the gift that keeps on giving for the Texans, and how the Browns can win it: Mary Kay Cabot

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Monday marked two years since the Browns made the blockbuster trade with Houston for Deshaun Watson, and they’re hoping it pays off in a big way this season in the third year of his contract.

In the meantime, it’s the gift that keeps on giving for the Texans, who beat the Browns 45-14 in the wild card round and are poised for success again in 2024.

On Friday, the Texans traded away the third and final first-round pick from that Watson trade, sending No. 23 overall to the Vikings along with a 2024 seventh-rounder (232 overall) to maximize their return on investment.

From Minnesota, they got back three picks: a 2024 second-rounder (No. 42 overall), a 2024 sixth-rounder (No. 188) and a 2025 second-rounder.

It means it will still be awhile before anyone can declare either team the clear-cut winner in the trade, but the Texans are fulfilling their mission to “put together a foundation” with the deal that rocked the NFL world.

On this day two years ago, the Browns traded a net of five picks to the Texans for the controversial three-time Pro Bowler, who was embroiled in his sexual misconduct scandal. The Browns traded first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, as well as fourth-rounders in 2022 and 2024, and a third-rounder in 2023.

In addition to Watson, the Browns also received a 2024 fifth-rounder (135 overall), which they used last week to trade for Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy. The Browns also sent the 2024 sixth-rounder acquired in the Baker Mayfield trade with Carolina to the Broncos for Jeudy.

The Texans, with 2023 No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State excelling at quarterback, felt comfortable trading away their lone remaining first-round pick of the 2024 draft and picking up the extra second-rounder for next season. Stroud, who tied the NFL rookie record for most passing touchdowns in a playoff game with three vs. the Browns, earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors after going 9-6 and leading Houston to the AFC South title.

Stroud wasn’t acquired with a Watson pick, but the Texans stormed back from that selection by trading up to No. 3 with the Cardinals to draft Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., who like Stroud, went on to earn Pro Bowl honors, and Rookie of the Year honors on the defensive side.

The Texans used their second first-round pick from the Watson trade, No. 12 overall in 2023, to move up to No. 3 to select Anderson, the rising star of their defense.

The Texans also surrendered their own second-round pick in 2023, their own first-round pick in 2024 (No. 27), and a third-rounder in 2024 to climb up for Anderson, who had a sack and three tackles in the wild card victory over the Browns. Overall, he finished with 7.0 sacks and 22 QB hits in his 15 games, 13 of which he started.

In addition to the Cardinals’ No. 3 overall pick, the Texans got a fourth-rounder in 2023 from the Cardinals, the No. 105 overall. They turned around and traded that pick to the Eagles for a 2024 third-rounder, the 86th overall.

Much like the Browns’ “Carson Wentz” trade in 2016 with the Eagles when they traded down from No. 2 to enable Philly to grab Wentz, it almost takes Deloitte to keep it all straight.

The Texans also packaged the Browns’ 2023 third-round pick (No. 73 overall) to move up four spots with the Rams for receiver Tank Dell, who was off to a rousing start as a rookie before suffering a season-ending fractured fibula in Week 13. Picked five spots before the Browns selected Cedric Tillman out of Tennessee with the No. 74 pick in the third round, Dell caught 47 of 75 targets (62.7%) passes for 709 yards and 7 TDs in his 11 games, with eight starts.