The situation in Houston has reached critical mass. Deshaun Watson has had enough with the Texans organization and is reportedly attempting to push his way out. Thursday morning, the 2020 NFL passing yards leader has officially requested a trade.
The Texans drafted Deshaun Watson with the 12th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and he signed a four-year contract extension with the team preceding the 2020 season. Yet, the franchise quarterback feels as if he’s been left out of many of the key decisions that the organization has made following the firing of head coach and general manager, Bill O’Brien.
Houston’s head coaching job was the first to open back in October and it was the last to be filled when Ravens’ assistant David Culley officially took the job yesterday. Surely, Watson’s clear and obvious displeasure with the organization played a focal role in that reality alongside its depleted cache of draft capital.
So will the Texans honor his request and trade him? What would it take for a team to make the acquisition?
John Healy of RADIO.COM highlighted a few potential trade destinations for Watson in an article he published Thursday. The Falcons weren't on Healy's list, but many feel there could be interest, including Mike Sando of The Athletic who had Atlanta as No. 3 on his list.
Falcons get: Deshaun Watson
Texans get: 2021 1st (No. 4), 2021 2nd (No. 35), 2022 1st, 2023 2nd (can upgrade)
At first glance, this is quite the asking price. But when you consider Watson is still only 25 years old and not even in the prime of his career, it seems more doable for the Falcons. While the Texans would lose their franchise star, this scenario would replenish their depleted draft cache and could potentially set them up for the future. So it could potentially make sense as to why they would agree to this deal. With that being said, these sorts of blockbuster trades for quarterbacks don’t happen often. You would have to go back to 2011 when Carson Palmer was traded to the Oakland Raiders to find an example of a premiere, franchise quarterback being involved in a trade. In that instance, Palmer was traded for a first- and second-round pick. While the disgruntled in-house scenarios for Palmer and Watson are similar, there’s a significant difference in being 25 years old versus 31.
I don’t foresee the Texans making this trade unless it becomes absolutely necessary, which I’m still not sure it has to this point. Just because he has requested a trade does not mean the Texans have to give in just yet. This is a young, franchise quarterback that has all the makings of an NFL star that could be the poster child of the NFL for the next decade. It is firmly on the shoulders of the Texans to make this situation right, but if he does become available, what’s stopping a team like the Falcons in asking?
Atlanta is also highly unlikely to make a trade like this due to the many holes that are already on the roster. The Falcons could use those picks almost as much as they could use the services of Watson. This is especially true when you consider Atlanta’s new head coach and general manager are likely to make schematic changes that the personnel would have to reflect. Add in Matt Ryan’s presence on the roster and the situation becomes even more convoluted. If the Falcons are eager to move on from Ryan, which I’m still not convinced that they are, then they are better suited to do so via the draft rather than sell the farm for Watson.
Still, this could be something to watch in the coming months as the relationship in Houston continues to devolve.