Deshaun Watson could very well choose the Falcons over the Saints in the ongoing trade saga, but the reports that the star QB has already made up his mind appear to be exaggerated.
That's at least according to reports from Pro Football Network's Aaron Wilson, who has been out front of a majority of the rollercoaster trade market for the embattled Texans star.
“I’m told that he has not made his decision, he is still weighing it. … This is a major decision in his life,” Wilson said on SportsTalk, speaking with Mike Detillier and Kristian Garic.
Listen to the full interview in the player below. Cant see the embed? Click here.
Watson is a Georgia native with a home in Atlanta, but it'll come down to a choice between the Saints and Falcons when the decision is made. Wilson reported Thursday that the 26-year-old was expected to take the weekend to make his decision. He also reported that the Falcons had pushed a deadline on Matt Ryan's $7.5 million roster bonus from Friday to Tuesday to allow the decision time to play out, leading to rumors that the team was looking for more time to find a deal for the veteran QB elsewhere with confidence they'd be landing Watson.
Wilson explains that, per his sources, there's still nothing definitive in that regard.
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"He has all the leverage, all the power. If he wants to take the weekend to make a decision, that's not stopping other people, they can do what they want to do," Wilson said. " ... Last time I checked, there's no football being played that matters until December, right? Why is everyone so freaked out? I understand it's a big decision and everyone wants to know, but I think everyone's got to calm down."
Whichever team does land Watson will be surrendering a large assortment of assets to do so, including multiple first- and second-round picks and players. For the Saints, a name that has been surfaced regularly is 2020 first-round pick Cesar Ruiz.
But the wait has left multiple teams and players in limbo, including Terron Armstead and Jameis Winston on the Saints' side of things. Should New Orleans miss out in the Watson chase, Winston would likely be atop the list of potential starting QB signings, and reports have indicated that Armstead is waiting out the Watson decision before he goes down the road of signing in free agency.
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But for now the Watson headline is: Hurry up and wait.
"This is his life, and if he wants to take the time, and he's as much of a big shot as he is to take his time with it," Wilson said, "then do that. I would say ... while he could make a decision sooner, right now he's going to think things over."