Top 5 Teams who need to trade for Deshaun Watson
The relationship between the Houston Texans and Deshaun Watson is reaching it’s breaking point. They are to the point where it’s not repairable. Watson has stated to close friends that he would like to be traded. The Texans know that they can’t enter next season with one the game’s best QBs that doesn’t want to be there.
Outside of the Texans giving Watson a huge 4 year / $160M extension to stay in Houston, it’s been a downward spiral. His best friend DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for a bag of balls, the owner Bob McNair made insensitive comments about the Black Lives Matters movement (saying we can’t have inmates running the prison) and coach Bill O’Brien was fired a 0-4 start. The disrespect of asking Watson’s opinion on the next coach, then ignoring his input was the last straw. This is a proven winner in college that even Clemson HC Debo Swinney said is high quality player and person. To just disrespect him is unimaginable and now they must pay the piper.
So now he’s unofficial on the trade market, and there should be at least 20 teams picking up the phone to ask for Watson’s services. I have 5 teams I feel would be a strong contender for Watson. But first, the honorable mentions…
Honorable mention – Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints.
The Steelers and Saints will in the next year or two both need at QB. Ben Roethlisberger will be leaving the game soon, Drew Brees is expected to retire, and there is no successor in site. The 49ers have Jimmy Garoppolo, the Lions have Matthew Stafford, the Cowboys have Dak Prescott, but Watson is the clear upgrade for each team. The Patriots have no answer at QB and have the clearest need at QB, but will Watson want to got back to the “Patriot Way’ that failed under the O’Brien regime.
5. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have Nick Foles under contract, but that’s clearly a failure after he we promoted to starter midway during the season. He was 2-5 as the start before getting hurt and never got back into the lineup. Mitchell Trubisky helped back them into the playoffs but he was clearly not the answer. With some talent on the outside in Allen Robinson that needs to be resigned, what better way to get him back than an upgrade at QB?
4. Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers announced his retirement on Jan 20th and now the Indianapolis Colts have a need a QB. They just had a playoff appearance, so they do not have a top 10 draft pick to draft their QB of the future. Why not through their hat in the ring for a ready made QB on a ready-made team. The Texans would be the biggest fools to trade Watson into the division.
3. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have been one of the several teams mentioned when a Watson trade comes up. The Dolphins already drafted their QB of the future in Tua Tagovailoa last year. But his rookie campaign was up and down, as he was replaced in key moments for Ryan Fitzpatrick. This is now Tua’s team, but can you really turn down an offer for Watson? The Dolphins have multiple first round and second round draft picks to package, a team that just barely missed the playoffs at 10-6 and a coach in Brian Flores who is on the rise. This makes a lot of sense for both sides, but will Miami give up on their QB just yet?
2. Washington Football Team
From a team who just missed the playoffs to a 7-9 division winner with no real QB. The Washington Football Team had the pleasure of winning the worst division in league history and now will be drafting outside of the top 15. They have Alex Smith but he’s not the long-term solutions (although his comeback performance was remarkable). The drafted Dwayne Haskins in 2019, but after horrid performances and a questionable decision after their Sunday Night game, was released. The Football Team has a need at QB and a team getting ready to seriously compete. Adding Watson to that mix will almost certainly win them the division, and with a winning record no less.
1. New York Jets
And then there are the New York Jets, J-E-T-S, just end the season. Coming of a horrible 2-14 season where they couldn’t even tank right, they might have questions at QB. They drafted Sam Darnold in 2018, but thanks to poor drafting and a horrible head coach in Adam Gase, they have ruined his development. The messed up the tanking part and checked themselves out of the #1 overall pick and being able to select the coveted Trevor Lawrence from Clemson. But the Jets have a lot of cap space, just under $71M, and multiple draft picks. The Jets did get two things right already in 2021, they fired Gase after 2 terrible seasons and hired 49ers DC Robert Saleh as his successor. So now if I’m Jet’s GM Joe Douglas, I’m making the call and offering the 2nd and 25th picks in the first round, like a 3rd or 4th rounder and likely futures. To get Watson on this team when they originally pasted on him would right a wrong and re-energize this broken franchise.
