If Texans shop Watson, Dolphins should make offer
Let’s start here:
It’s highly unlikely that, no matter how much quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out, that the
Houston Texans will actually trade him.
Don’t take our word for it. Listen to the dean of Houston sportswriting, John McClain, who tweeted Thursday:
“I’ve got a better chance of becoming the Texans’ new head coach than Deshaun Watson has of being traded.”
But stranger things have happened, and if reports are true, Watson is steamed that he was cut out of the Texans’ head coach hiring process, despite being told he’d have a voice.
And Watson, who led the NFL in passing this year, might want out.
If he goes public with such a demand, the Texans could find themselves with few great options.
Not because there wouldn’t be a market for him. Three quarters of the league would probably call to inquire.
But because his fouryear, $156 million contract has a no-trade clause.
That means he basically could pick his destination.
Which also means that two of the teams with the most to offer (the Jaguars, who own the first and 21st picks; and the Jets, with the second and 27th picks plus Sam Darnold) might not even make his list.
After enduring a 4-12 season in Houston, why would one of the league’s 10 best players want to go to rebuilding team?
Even if he were open to that idea, the Texans might not want to trade him within the division to Jacksonville, even if means they get Trevor Lawrence in return.
So who does that leave? The Dolphins, who have a ton of desirable assets, a strong culture and a team ready-made to win with an elite quarterback.
The Dolphins could offer this package for Watson, which would probably be the best of any team: Tua Tagovailoa, Xavien Howard and the third and 18th picks in the draft. (It should be said that Dolphins general manager Chris Grier on Tuesday committed to Tagovailoa as the team’s 2021 starter.)
The Texans, and new general manager Nick Caserio, could fast-forward what looks to be an arduous rebuild by getting back their first-round pick (No. 3 overall, given up in the Laremy Tunsil trade) and use it to take one of the three top-end quarterbacks in the draft to compete with Tagovailoa. Or he could roll with Tua and take the best non-quarterback in the draft.
And oh yeah, Caserio would also be getting arguably the best defensive player in football.
The Dolphins have the cap space to make it work.
Watson’s base salary in 2021 is just $10.5 million — leaving them plenty of remaining money to upgrade their roster. Plus they would have two picks in the second round to build depth.
One last parting thought before we put this fantasy to bed:
There seems to be a mutual respect and admiration between Watson and the best quarterback in franchise history. Watson last April was spotted working out in a Dan Marino tee shirt.
The Hall of Famer and current Dolphins executive took notice, and responded:
“Nice shirt @deshaunwatson. Stay safe and #GoDeep.”