Cleveland Browns Super Bowl Odds Shorten from +4000 to +1600 With News of Deshaun Watson Deal

• The Super Bowl odds on the Cleveland Browns have shortened to +1600 from +4000 with Friday’s acquisition of quarterback Deshaun Watson
• Watson’s NFL MVP odds were also shortening from +2500 to +2000
• The three-time Pro Bowl QB sat out last season after requesting a trade from the Houston Texans

What a difference a day makes in both the Super Bowl odds and the quarterbacking situation for the Cleveland Browns thanks to Deshaun Watson’s change of mind and apparently, change of heart.

Remember a day ago when Watson turned the Browns down? Evidently, he didn’t.

Friday, the Browns were announcing the shocking news that they’d made the acquisition of three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Watson from the Houston Texans.

As he was shopping his services to suitors, published reports were suggesting that Watson told the Browns on Thursday that they were out of the running. Meanwhile, miffed Browns QB Baker Mayfield had a pouty fit and told the team he wanted out of Cleveland, Ohio.

One day later, has Cleveland’s situation gone from bad to first? Well, oddsmakers certainly like the chances of that happening much more as of today.

With Watson in the fold, the Super Bowl odds of the Browns shortened from +4000 to +1600.

Super Bowl 57 Odds

Odds as of March 18th at Caesars Sportsbook. See this list of Caesars Sportsbook promos before wagering.

One year after making the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and winning a postseason game for the first year since 1994, it all fell apart for the Browns in 2021. Cleveland went 8-9 and ended up finishing third in the AFC North. However, since acquiring Watson, the divisional odds of the Browns are +180. They were at +330 prior to the deal.

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Cleveland Rocks Watson’s World

It’s often speculated that instant replay was invented because men possess the ability to forget what just happened. So perhaps it’s entirely elementary that Watson would change his opinion of Cleveland after a good night’s sleep and determined that he’d made a mistake by shunning the city by the lake.

From Deshaun Watson on Instagram pic.twitter.com/jlqGKLaMqs

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 18, 2022

No, really. What actually changed in the course of the day? Well, to put it into simple terms, the Browns played the Jerry Maguire card. They showed Deshaun the money.  A $46-million a year, five-year guaranteed contract could make a fellow forget a lot of stuff.

Watson Offering MVP Value

All eyes will be on Watson as he’s playing his first season in a Browns uniform. Naturally, should he perform lights out, he’ll be right at that top of the NFL MVP futures speculation. Already, his NFL MVP odds have shortened from +2500 to +2000.

Deshaun Watson will get a massive new deal once he joins the Browns. All of it is guaranteed. #Browns #FPC #NFL #NFLTwitter pic.twitter.com/deBCismVLO

— Full Press NFL (@FullPressNFL) March 18, 2022

After all, Aaron Rodgers can’t win it every year, can he? And it’s not like Watson wasn’t a legit part of the MVP conversations in past seasons when he was playing for Houston.

The 2017 first-round draft pick earned his way to three Pro Bowls with the Texans. Watson led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards during the 2020 season.

Is Cleveland the Right Answer?

Armed with a no-trade contract, Watson was able to choose his new home. Cleveland is a talented squad to be sure but the Browns also display a penchant for putting the diss in dysfunctional.

The AFC North will now feature Deshaun Watson, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. All 26 years or younger.

Potential for a decade of elite QB play.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 18, 2022

Watson, too, is not a man absent of baggage. Watson was facing allegations of sexual misconduct. He’s only able to play because on March 11 a Harris County, Texas grand jury determined there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Watson with any crime. He’ll still be facing 22 civil lawsuits and potentially, NFL discipline.

Cleveland’s AFC Championship odds just shortened from +2000 to +900. Just two NFL teams have been in the NFL for the entire Super Bowl era and never played in a Super Bowl game. That would be the Detroit Lions and the Browns.

Should Watson bring a Super Bowl title to the Browns, he’ll join Jim Brown, Otto Graham, LeBron James and Lou Boudreau in the lexicon of Cleveland sporting icons.