Instead of making a trade for Deshaun Watson, the Browns could’ve landed a different star quarterback earlier this offseason.
According to Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright, the Cleveland organization made a run at nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson before he ultimately landed in Denver.
Wilson reportedly wasn’t interested in playing in Cleveland and selected the Broncos over “multiple other teams.”
The NFL world took to Twitter to react to these reports.
“Man would’ve killed for Russ to be a Brown. Still remember those 2018 rumors that we’d trade the first pick for him,” one fan wrote.
“I’m glad the whole NFL world knows that the FO was doing everything they could,” another added.
“This makes me hate the Broncos more than I already did But it also shows that Watson was a last ditch effort,” another said.
“Browns ended up getting the better QB too,” another wrote.
After Wilson reportedly denied the Browns organization, the team landed Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans. The franchise then signed the 26-year-old signal caller on a massive five-year, $230 million, fully-guaranteed contract.
With Wilson now under center, the Broncos are contenders in a stacked AFC West division.