Piece by: Tyler Deakin
The Deshaun Watson Sweepstakes is probably the main storyline of the 2021 NFL offseason. Watson is reportedly frustrated with the Texans organization, specifically for their managerial decisions in hiring Nick Caserio as General Manager and David Culley as Head Coach. He has not returned the Texans calls & has deleted all Texans references from his social media accounts. Nick Caserio has gone on the record saying that the Texans have “zero interest” in trading Deshaun Watson; however, the Texans will be tempted with substantial compensation in trade packages for Watson as the NFL Draft approaches. Add together Watson’s frustration with the organization & the substantial compensation available in trade packages, and I believe Deshaun Watson will be on the move this offseason.
Assuming Deshaun Watson were to be traded, which teams would make the most sense as trade partners? Here are some important points to remember in assessing Deshaun Watson’s potential trade partners: a) it’s going to take a massive trade package to land him, b) he recently signed a massive contract extension that begins in 2022, and c) he has a full no trade clause (meaning he must consent to be traded to the team acquiring him). I believe the following teams are in play for Deshaun Watson, based on the descriptive factors above: Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets. The Chicago Bears (trade package issues, cap issues, supporting cast issues) and the New England Patriots (trade package issues, supporting cast issues) were also considered as landing spots in this article but were omitted. I’m going to make my case for each of these Deshaun Watson landing spots based on trade compensation packages, cap space, and supporting cast. Factors such as franchise quarterback desperation & Watson’s likely willingness to play for each franchise will also be considered in this analysis.
The Carolina Panthers are a fantastic trading partner & terrific landing spot for Deshaun Watson. Their trade package could start with the 2021 8th overall pick and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, which is a strong starting point in trade negotiations. Over the Cap has the Panthers with only $12M in cap space this offseason, so money could be an issue in this trade scenario; however, their cap room is expected to grow substantially beginning next year, which is when Watson’s contract extension begins. I don’t believe that the Panthers are necessarily desperate for a franchise quarterback, but they certainly want to upgrade from Teddy Bridgewater. Watson would likely cherish the opportunity to play for the Panthers, as they have fantastic skill position players surrounding him including Christian McCaffrey, Robby Anderson, and DJ Moore. It also helps the Panthers case that Watson played his college football at nearby Clemson University, so he would have a homecoming of sorts were this trade to occur.
The Miami Dolphins are an incredible trade partner & great landing spot for Deshaun Watson, although there is the caveat of them being willing to move on from Tua Tagovailoa in this scenario. Publicly, the Dolphins have insisted that they have “a lot of confidence” in Tua; however, if they believe that Deshaun Watson is a substantial upgrade over Tua then they would immediately become a logical suitor for him. Their trade package could start with the 2021 3rd overall pick (from the Texans ironically), the 2021 18th overall pick, and Tua Tagovailoa. Over the Cap has the Dolphins with $28M in cap space this offseason so there is cap room to make this trade. Similar to the Panthers, the Dolphins aren’t necessarily desperate for a franchise quarterback, but they could consider upgrading from Tua. Skill position players such as Devante Parker, Mike Gesicki, and Myles Gaskin could help enticing Deshaun Watson into playing for the Dolphins.
The San Francisco 49ers are an adequate trade partner & fantastic landing spot for Deshaun Watson. Their trade package could start with the 2021 12th overall pick and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whom Nick Caserio assisted in drafting as the director of player personnel for the New England Patriots in 2014. One key issue with the 49ers as a trade partner is their lack of cap room; the 49ers only have $13M in cap space this offseason. They are desperate for a franchise quarterback however, as Garoppolo has battled injuries & inconsistency throughout his career. Watson would love to play here too, with skill position players such as George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk scattered throughout the starting lineup. Piece all of this information together & there’s a scenario where the 49ers could acquire Deshaun Watson.
The Denver Broncos are a decent trade partner and solid landing spot for Deshaun Watson. Their trade package could start with the 2021 9th overall pick and quarterback Drew Lock. They also have the cap space to make this work, as they have $32M in cap room this offseason. Considering that the Broncos haven’t had a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning retired in 2016, desperation could play a factor here in trade negotiations. Skill position players such as Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick make this an appealing destination for Watson; however, Watson must also consider that he would have to play against Patrick Mahomes twice a year being in the same division.
The New York Jets are a logical trade partner for Deshaun Watson; however, the Jets are probably not an ideal landing spot for Watson. Their trade package could start with the 2021 2nd overall pick, the 2021 23rd overall pick, and quarterback Sam Darnold. The Jets have $68M in cap space this offseason so there is cap room available to make this trade. Desperation is also a factor here, as the Jets haven’t had a franchise quarterback in quite some time. All of this being said, would Deshaun Watson really want to play here? Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman are their only quality skill position players, and the offensive line isn’t great. Considering those factors, I have my doubts that Deshaun Watson ends up here; however, the trade compensation makes this deal difficult to completely rule out.
The Texans will likely receive calls from at least 10 NFL teams regarding Deshaun Watson trade scenarios, so this Deshaun Watson Sweepstakes list is by no means an exhaustive one. That being said, I believe these are the top 5 contenders to land Deshaun Watson based on trade compensation packages, cap space, and supporting cast. Key dates to watch in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes include: March 17th (the new league year begins), April 5th (offseason workouts begin for new NFL coaches), & April 29th (the start of the 2021 NFL Draft). Obviously, the 2021 NFL Draft will serve as a hard deadline in the Deshaun Watson trade conversations. Our 2021 NFL offseason will likely center around the Deshaun Watson storyline. Buckle up, folks!
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