Hyde: Watson trade would be best or worst move ever
If it’s actually real, they’re selling Tua Tagovailoa’s stock as high as it’s been since his draft night.
If it’s surprisingly now, they’re buying Deshaun Watson as low as possible for obvious legal and moral reasons.
If it somehow happens, the Dolphins are contenders the minute Watson steps on the field, too. No question. Hands down. The only question is when he steps on the field.
This year?
Next year?
Watson, the quarterback, is everything the Dolphins can only hope Tua becomes in the next couple of years. Watson is a top-five quarterback. He’s 25. He can be the face of a franchise for the next 10 or 15 years.
Watson, the face of the franchise, is another matter. Could he be that with 22 civil cases and 10 criminal complaints (but not charges) involving sexual assault hanging over him?
With the FBI also inquiring? With the NFL — the least of your problems — seemingly waiting for the legal dust to clear before coming with any discipline of its own?
A respected reporter, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, has reported the Dolphins are front-runners to trade for Watson. The Yahoo report also said Houston wants three first-round and two second-round picks — a hefty sum but not the full cost.
The added cost is the risk that comes with all this. It really makes you wonder if the Dolphins are “front-runners” — or possibly the only team in the running?
Watson has so much baggage wherever he goes — if he goes — that he needs a personal TSA detector to run it all through.
I was all for trading for Watson before these issues.
I couldn’t do it now unless the Dolphins were given some clarity on what the future holds. And how could they actually receive that? No one knows if these charges will stick, much less what the NFL will say about it. Are they willing to throw away their season? Doubtful.
If this trade isn’t happening, it’s easy for Dolphins coach Brian Flores to say so. It’s easy for Flores to deny it’s happening even if talks have been held. Talks? What are talks?
Two weeks before the season, that’s the expected play here — unless a trade is coming. And, with so much uncertainty around Watson, it’s hard to see that.
Sure, most people will move on quickly from legal issues as soon as Watson throws touchdowns. There’s no reason with this defense and some of the weapons that Watson wouldn’t instantly make the Dolphins into a certain playoff team and possible contender.
As for his legal issues, well, here’s what you’ll hear: The University of Miami took back a player, Avantae Williams, this week who initially was charged with hitting his pregnant ex-girlfriend. When the charges were dropped because she stopped cooperating with the prosecution, he was brought back to the team. Was it right?
Still, it’s one thing to not overpay attention to a littleknown college player and another thing for a grown man and star NFL quarterback.
Again: 22 women with civil suits and 10 more with legal complaints.
Of course, there’s the good news people will mention: All this should help some team negotiate a better trade for Watson. Houston reportedly wants three first-rounders and two second-rounders? Sorry. Too much. Unless they’re all protected against what happens to Watson legally and from the NFL.
Tua, one of the Dolphins’ first-round picks in 2023 and three second-round picks? That sounds closer to reality.
There’s movement to back something’s up. Philadelphia once was in the reports for Watson. It has three No. 1 picks to do so. It traded for Jacksonville’s Gardner Minshew on Saturday. Coincidence? A piece in a bigger puzzle?
Watson, you see, has say in this. He reportedly invoked his no-trade clause against a move to Philadelphia. He has connections to Miami, from college friend and teammate Christian Wilkins (they were together in Miami this off-season) to former Houston Texans receiver Will Fuller.
Houston could be motivated to move Watson before the first game, too. That’s when game checks are due. Houston owes Watson more than $10 million a year.
Finally, there’s the reporting in this story, too. Again, Robinson is respected and has been involved in following the Watson saga for a while.
There’s no reason to doubt he was told this about the Dolphins being considered a front-runner.
That doesn’t mean someone didn’t leak a story for selfish reasons. It doesn’t mean only one side — Watson’s side is the best bet — is getting told here.
Is this the end or just another bend in a long road? We’ll see.
Bottom line: This move would either cement the Dolphins as a possible contender for the next decade … or cement them as too desperate, considering Watson’s standing.
Tua has had a good preseason. So that’s either the time to build on him or trade him. A trade suggests Tua was a whiff in the Dolphins’ mind. A trade suggests General Manager Chris Grier sees this as the way out — and it could be a very good way if it works out.
This would be the franchise’s best move since Dan Marino was drafted ... or it’s worst move of all time. Contenders or clowns? There’s no middle ground if this deal gets made.