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Deshaun Watson has “formally” asked the Houston Texans to hand him over to a new team that, barring an unforeseen restoration of relations, sets off what is expected to be the biggest trade in NFL history.
The NFL Network should make it into a reality TV show: “Billion Dollar Listing: Houston”.
Watson is a 25-year-old superstar with impeccable leadership skills. He’s the definition of a franchise quarterback – on the field, in the locker room and in the community.
He played tough and injured last season for a dysfunctional, losing team that traded their top receiver and fired their coach. He completed 70.2% of his passes and threw for 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns (versus just seven interceptions) while rushing for 444 extra yards and three scores.
Patrick Mahomes is probably a better player, but by how much? Watson and the Texans had a 24-point lead over Kansas City in last year’s playoffs, after all.
All of this to say that guys like this never go to the market.
For that to be possible, it needed a particularly bad situation in Houston coupled with the modern player empowerment movement, an incredible talent who is already under contract for three more seasons playing the most important position on the pitch at a time when nearly 20 teams are in need of a QB.
It’s a disaster for Houston, who lose what every team wants, but they can still make a real future out of it.
One draft pick, two draft pick, three draft pick, four
You want Deshaun Watson and we want more
To add to the drama, Watson has a no-trade deal, which means Houston just a few months ago gave him the right to basically choose where he wants to be traded. Not smart, but if Texans were smart, they wouldn’t have parted with their most valuable asset.
Houston could always tell Watson to pound the sand, but he’s already rich and could just sit back and wait. Additionally, Watson smartly didn’t detail exactly why he’s so angry with Texans ownership, although there have been hints. Either way, he’s unlikely to focus on a third-bet call or anything innocent like that.
Swap it out and all the dirty laundry might stay hidden. Enter a war of wills and who knows what stories Watson has to tell. What does this hold for the McNair family?
As with the rest of the league, it’s time to do a full asset analysis. Other than a few teams, Watson would be an upgrade in talent, circumstance (ie age), or both.
Miami is definitely one of the favorites here. The Dolphins have two first-round picks this year – theirs at No.18 and one they got from the Texans at No.3 through an earlier trade. They also have Houston’s second-round pick in 2021. They could also deal with young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has a more favorable rookie contract, which would free up salary cap space for Houston to spend on others. players.
Tagovailoa was the fifth overall pick last year and while he may not have been great as a rookie, he wasn’t too bad either. His baseline numbers (64.1 percent completion, 11-5 TD intercept ratio, 6.3 yards per attempt) compare to Watson as a rookie (61.8, 19-8, 8, 3).
Watson is a sure thing, but are the dolphins already soured in Tagovailoa? Mahomes, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and many other great QBs did nothing as a rookie, mainly because they were allowed to sit down and learn.
The New York Jets have a still young QB at Sam Darnold, a slew of picks this year (four in the top 66) and the allure of Manhattan with a fresh young coaching staff to offer Houston and Watson.
New Orleans has a Super Bowl contender out of the box and, assuming Drew Brees is done (or even if he’s not), it takes a star quarterback. Are you mortgaging everything for Watson? Why not you? And if you’re Watson, coming out of the rich young AFC as a quarterback isn’t a bad long-term plan.
Indianapolis, San Francisco and Washington all have menacing defenses and are in desperate need of an offensive spark. New England has a ton of ceiling space and Bill Belichick. Dallas is Dallas. Jacksonville has the # 1 pick and a new diet under Urban Meyer. We can continue.
We don’t know who is offering what. Or what Watson’s motivations really are. Or what Texans value for the future. It could go in all kinds of directions, but like a luxury home in a real estate market, the price could go up due to competition and ego.
Whoever wins gets one of football’s great young quarterbacks, essentially the most prized possession in the NFL.
What is this for them? And will Texans and Watson feel the same?
Buckle up, a commercial drama like the NFL has rarely, if ever, seen about to unfold.
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