CLEVELAND, Ohio — The decision to pursue Deshaun Watson was originally hatched by the football staff, even it was ultimately an organizational choice.

“It was definitely conceived by football operations,” team owner Jimmy Haslam said during a Zoom call on Friday. “I can tell you it was widely vetted throughout our organization, including ownership, but it was conceived in football operations.”

GM Andrew Berry called the process leading to Watson a “five-month odyssey” earlier in the day, but clarified the start of the odyssey was about regular due diligence as the front office turned the page from pre-trade deadline thinking to beginning the planning process for the offseason.