Deshaun Watson has made it clear that he wants out of Houston. Now it’s only a matter of time to see what team the superstar quarterback plays for next. As organizations around the league continue to call the Texans’ front office to inquire what it might take to obtain the young QB, 3 teams hold a realistic chance to pull a deal off.
This upcoming offseason is projected to see a wild QB carousel of players landing on new teams. Just about every organization in the NFL will be looking to make Watson the future of their franchise.
While every team in the league may want Watson to play in their city, the no-trade clause in his contract will ultimately leave him with the power to decide who he wants to play for.
Given how difficult it is to acquire a QB at Deshaun Watson’s level, here are 3 teams that should do whatever it takes to cultivate a deal for the 25-year-old.
No. 3 – Chicago Bears
It has been made crystal clear that Nick Foles nor Mitchell Trubisky are the Chicago Bears’ future. Now is the time for Chicago to do whatever it takes to land Deshaun Watson.
The Bears hold the weakest package of the 3 teams on this list to trade with the Houston Texans. But, GM Ryan Pace should be looking to move heaven and earth to pull a deal off.
Chicago holds the 20th overall selection in this year’s NFL draft, which is clearly not enough to persuade the Texans to let go of Deshaun on its own. This would mean that it would likely take many current and future 1st round draft picks along with some young players to get the ball rolling on a deal.
Adding Deshaun Watson to the mix would immediately place the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl contention. But, this deal would take a tremendous package of assets to pull off.
No. 2 – New York Jets
With the recent hire of head coach Robert Saleh, a culture shift has been established for the New York Jets. The acquisition of Deshaun Watson would provide the rookie coach a great leader for his young team.
After a disappointing 1-15 season, the New York Jets hold the 2nd overall pick in the draft. Subsequently, they also have the 23rd overall pick from the Seattle Seahawks in the Jamal Adams trade. It would likely take a package of both first-round picks, along with another future selection to tempt the Texans to make a deal.
The Jets have likely missed the opportunity to select Trevor Lawrence in this upcoming draft. So, unless the Jets believe that Sam Darnold or another rookie QB in the class is the answer to their problems, this could be the perfect opportunity for New York to land their superstar.
The Jets hold a ton of cap space, draft picks, and they have an energetic rookie head coach to play for. While their future is bright, it would be worth sacrificing some draft picks to land Watson and compete in the NFL.
No. 1 – Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have the best package to offer the Houston Texans in a trade. After exceeding expectations in recent years, head coach Brian Flores has cultivated a winning culture in Miami. This would make Deshaun Watson the perfect player to place the Dolphins in super bowl contention.
The Dolphins hold the 3rd overall pick in the draft that ironically came from the Texans in the first place. This pick came as a part of a blockbuster deal for left tackle Laremy Tunsil back in 2019. Also, the Dolphins hold their own first-round pick at 18th overall.
Above all, the most valuable asset the Dolphins hold would be QB Tua Tagovailoa, last year’s 5th overall selection. With the Texans going through a rebuild, Houston may be willing to take a shot on the 22-year-old QB.
Being able to package Tua along with multiple first-round picks could be enough to get a deal done. The Dolphins have a bright future even without Deshaun. However, he could be the missing link to propel them to new heights.
No matter where Deshaun Watson ends up, it’s going to require a king’s ransom to land him. But nothing can help the future of a franchise like an elite QB.
