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As we sit down and wait for George Paton to act as the new general manager of the Denver Broncos, I have become clear how much of a difference there is between a good candidate and a good recruit. It is not prudent aggression or reckless caution. It is a process that leads to a desirable outcome.
All the rest is talking.
Which brings us to a brewing storm that alone could alternate Super Bowl games for the foreseeable future. Hours before Chad Henne shattered Cleveland’s hopes, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Deshaun Watson looked like he was done with the Houston Texans.
People in and around the Texans’ organization increasingly feel that Deshaun Watson played his latest snap for the team. It’s at the start of the offseason, there is plenty of time left, but Watson’s feelings cannot and should not be underestimated.
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2021
The news has been a long time coming. Rivers McCown of Football Outsiders has written at length about Jack Easterby and the dramatic impact he has had on the Houston Texans. Cal McNair passing over Eric Bieniemy and Robert Salah during the Texans’ initial search for head coach looks like straw to break the camel’s back, but it’s been a while.
If Watson is available, George Paton and the Broncos must try. It will not be cheap and they would enter a crowded area with a disadvantage in possible trade negotiations. Chances are, the Texans want a return quarterback or the capital to acquire one quickly. Losing Watson will be perhaps the worst day in franchise history, so replacing him with something that looks like a skill will surely be a priority for a newly hired front office. On top of that, Watson has a no-trade clause in his new expansion and has already expressed interest in playing for Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins.
It does not matter.
The NFL is defined by the game of quarterback. Either you have one or you don’t. The passing is just too much for an offensive production to consistently win without one. This is why there are currently 10 quarterbacks making over $ 30 million a year in a league when no other position has one. Even with a strict salary cap, a team’s fortune depends on the arm of its passer.
Watson is the golden goose that every team dreams of. He’s on the league’s shortest best quarterback list and won’t turn 26 until September. Chances are he’ll solve the quarterback conundrum for a decade. Probably longer.
If Super Bowl titles are George Paton’s goal, the astronomical asking price shouldn’t put him off. The Denver Broncos have the kind of talented young bodies and Pro Bowl pieces littering their defense to potentially intrigue both the Texans’ front office and Watson. From there, it’s probably about capital and quarterback projects. This is where teams like the Dolphins, 49ers or even the Jets could tip the equation in their favor.
Unless of course Jack Easterby likes himself a little with Drew Lock. For weeks now, we’ve been hearing about how the second-year quarterback turned a corner in his game against Miami. Former NFL quarterback Tim Jenkins has argued that if Lock can make any progress this offseason, he has a future as a Top 10 quarterback. If that’s true, maybe the Texans can see through the stats for 2020. Perhaps Lock’s arm talent could be enough to build a business package.
I consider it far. I also hope the Broncos have hired the kind of general manager who really examines every potential avenue in an effort to improve his squad. There’s not the slightest bit of doubt in my mind, Deshaun Watson would do just that.
The Broncos must therefore try.
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