Watson Trade Demands Stand, Where Will He Land?
By Michael Simon
NEW YORK, NY_. The NFL, and the success of the individual teams in it, seem to revolve around performances from their quarterback. While football is a team sport, there is a correlation between how a quarterback plays and the success of that team. Therefore, when certain quarterbacks enter the market, there is high demand for them.
Deshaun Watson, the former first-round pick and Pro Bowlers, had previously requested a trade out of the Houston Texans organization. While allegations relating to harassment with Watson continued on, there seemed to be a stall in this trade process. Houston made it clear they wanted to continue to build around the Clemson product.
However, the Texans have now listed their demands for the young promising QB, and their wishes seem to be reasonable. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Texans have been asking for five draft picks or starting-caliber players for the talented QB.
Throughout the process, Watson has been clear of his demands: he wants out of Houston. So, where will Watson end up?
The Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have seemed to be a frontrunner to obtain Watson. With plenty of draft picks to send to the Texans, and a younger core, Watson makes sense to be sent to Philadelphia. The big question that holds the Eagles back is their confidence in young QB Jalen Hurts. If they believe he is the future, a trade for Watson is not logical.
The Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are in a similar situation as the Eagles. The Dolphins had a rather impressive season, going 10-6 with what seemed to be subpar quarterback performance. Like the Eagles, the Dolphins may be set with their early draft pick Tua Tagovailoa. However, there seem to be ongoing talks that this is not the Dolphins’ stance on their young product, so Watson could be sent off to Miami.
The Denver Broncos
Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson. That is where the Broncos could seem to be at throughout this offseason. The Broncos have a solid defense, great offensive weapons, and a lot of potentials to do great things in their division. Watson is likely to go somewhere that is one piece away from the playoffs, and the Broncos may be one of the most desirable locations to go right now. They have the pieces to trade for him, and the talent to keep him there.
Overall, these three teams all have a great pitch to obtain Watson. NFL fans should expect a trade for Watson sooner rather than later, and my prediction is he becomes a Philadelphia Eagle before the season begins.
Michael Simon
Journalism Intern