With the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and even Carson Wentz officially off the board, the market for big name quarterbacks is quickly drying up.
One of the few remaining names that can truly move the needle is Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson, who’s been available since requesting a trade at the start of the 2021 offseason. Watson was nearly traded a year ago, before all of the allegations of sexual misconduct emerged from several of his massage therapists. But with the Texans seemingly intent on ending this saga, Watson could be the next big domino to fall…
There’s just a four criteria that need to be met, according to former Philadelphia Eagles president Joe Banner.
The experienced NFL exec, who was with the Eagles when they signed Michael Vick fresh off his imprisonment for dog fighting back in 2009, laid out exactly what it’s going to take in order for any team to take a chance on Watson.
According to Banner, the four things that any trade suitor for Watson will need in order to sign off on a deal are the following:
- Any real chance of him going to jail must be off the table.
- The team must feel confident that Watson either a) didn’t commit the acts he’s being accused of, or b) they must be confident it won’t happen again.
- The team must be able to deal with the financial implications of signing Watson.
- The team must be ready and able to deal with any PR backlash resulting from rostering Watson.
At the moment, it appears as though numbers 1 and 2 are the main factors holding up any potential Deshaun Watson trade, as his legal issues still hang in the balance. Number 3 is a problem that any team in need of a quarterback would gladly clear up in order to make room for Watson’s contract, while number 4 is something that every NFL team would be willing to deal with if it means improving their performance on the field. After all, this is the NFL, where winning trumps all — including morality.
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As for possible suitors, Banner points to the Eagles and the Panthers as the best possibilities to land Watson, while listing the likes of the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Colts, Seahawks, Giants, Commanders, Vikings, Browns and Texans all as “unlikely suitors.”
Will his predictions prove to be true? We may find out soon enough.
