Could Deshaun Watson soon take his talents to South Beach?
John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday, citing sources, that the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins agreed on trade compensation for a deal involving the star quarterback. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly wants Watson's legal issues to be resolved before swinging a deal, however, and it's unclear whether that'll happen before the Nov. 2 NFL trade deadline.
As such, we're left to continue speculating as to where Watson will land when the dust settles. The Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles are among the teams that have been mentioned in trade speculation, although NFL Media's Ian Rapoport threw cold water on the Panthers idea Wednesday by reporting Carolina is not expected to pursue Watson at this time.
Clearly, this is a fluid situation, but The Athletic's Mike Sando explored the Watson trade saga Monday in his "Pick Six" column. And Sando shared a prediction he received from a longtime agent.
Here's what Sando wrote:
An agent with decades of experience predicted the situation might unfold this way: Ross orders his team's leadership to push for Watson; Carolina remains a wild-card pursuer amid uncertainty over whether the Panthers' owner will push as hard; Miami makes the trade but cannot put Watson on the field until his legal cases are resolved; meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa remains behind center for the Dolphins after the team fails to find sufficient trade value in the short term.
It certainly would be wild to see Tagovailoa continue to operate as Miami's starting quarterback this season with Watson waiting in the wings. After all, the Texans theoretically could ask for Tagovailoa as part of any trade package, or the Dolphins could flip their current QB to a third team while acquiring Watson.
Details regarding the trade Houston and Miami reportedly agreed upon are unclear, but the Texans are believed to be seeking three first-round picks plus additional draft compensation and/or players. McClain noted Tuesday that Texans general manager Nick Caserio should receive the three first-rounders as part of the potential deal with the Dolphins, albeit with lesser supplemental pieces.
NFL insider Josina Anderson reported Wednesday that Miami's offer still didn't meet the threshold to complete deal and that Houston's asking price will not drop for any team.
Watson has a certain level of control over the situation thanks to his no-trade clause, a condition he reportedly has waived only for Miami thus far. Yet, at the same time, Watson is facing allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct in 22 active lawsuits. So, his future remains murky.
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, has yet to be active for a game this season. The 26-year-old is coming off a 2020 campaign in which he totaled 4,823 passing yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
