Super Bowl LV and the end of the NFL season is still two days away, but the hot stove on Deshaun Watson trade speculation remains as scalding as ever.
With reports swirling that the Jets are a part of the list of teams that Watson would waive his no-trade clause for, fans in New York are salivating at the thought of bringing a superstar in to save the franchise.
Of course, there are some that fear the asking price for a generational quarterback like Watson will be too steep, but Hall of Famer Michael Irvin is not in that camp – and he told Moose & Maggie on Friday that any team with a quarterback need, including the Jets, should do whatever it takes to land Watson.
“Deshaun Watson is the second-greatest asset in the league right now,” Irvin said. “You have Patrick Mahomes and probably right after him, then you have Deshaun Watson. He’s a special talent, and whoever gets him, trust me, whatever it takes, it’ll be worth it. Because he changes things.”
The Jets are certainly a team in need of change following a 2-14 season, and while many fans pined for the top draft pick and the chance to select Clemson stud Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall, New York won two of their final three games to spoil that opportunity. But, with Watson now expressing a strong desire to get out of Houston, the Jets could still find a way to grab someone they hope can become the next face of the franchise.
Irvin admitted that the Jets would have to part with a load of assets to get Watson, but for a player of that caliber, parting with draft picks and young talent would be more than worth what they would receive in return.
“Absolutely I would,” Irvin said when asked about the Jets parting with multiple draft picks and established young talent for Watson. “If you’re talking about the Jets, both first-rounders this year, maybe even another first next year, plus that asset, absolutely. That’s probably what it takes.”
Watson put up a third straight Pro Bowl season in 2020, throwing for a league-high 4,823 yards while adding 33 touchdowns. The 25-year-old signed a four-year, $156 million contract with the Texans in September, but if you ask Irvin, the load of money attached to Watson and the asking price to acquire him is all justified for the Jets if the opportunity is there.
“Matthew Stafford got traded for two first-rounders, and this kid is the best asset you could have outside of Patrick Mahomes,” Irvin said. “Would you give up three first-rounders for Patrick Mahomes? You would in a heartbeat.”
Listen to Irvin’s entire appearance on Moose & Maggie below!
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