The Dolphins appear to be the frontrunner to acquire Deshaun Watson if the Texans move the star quarterback by the NFL’s Nov. 2 trade deadline.
But nothing is set in stone as of Wednesday morning, so we shouldn’t bank on Watson taking his talents to Miami just yet.
In a column published to ESPN.com, league insider Jeremy Fowler highlighted two teams other than the ‘Fins that appear to be interested in the three-time Pro Bowl selection. One of the teams hasn’t been attached to the Watson rumor mill very much of late.
“With less than a week before the deadline, multiple teams remain interested in trading for the Texans quarterback,” Fowler wrote. “We’ve known for a while that Watson is interested in going to Miami, but there are layers to this, too. A source told me the primary goal is to get out of Houston, so if a team other than Miami can help him with that and he likes that team, he will at least listen. That all depends on whether a team is willing to outbid Miami.
“Carolina could make this interesting. After asking around, it’s clear the Panthers badly want a franchise quarterback and know Sam Darnold might not be that guy. They were heavily involved in Watson’s trade picture in the offseason, before the sexual assault allegations and civil lawsuits began. Denver is a wild card, too, though the Broncos haven’t made aggressive moves yet. At one point, Watson was intrigued by the team’s offensive weapons.”
The Broncos definitely need to figure out their quarterback situation sooner rather than later. It’s become clear that 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock is not the future, and Teddy Bridgewater always was going to be a stop-gap signal-caller, albeit an above-average one.
That said, Denver probably shouldn’t feel pressured to make a serious run at Watson over the next few days. For starters, his ongoing legal situation is clouded by uncertainty. But the Broncos also might have another shot at landing a star QB over the offseason when Aaron Rodgers likely will be available.
So we wouldn’t count on Watson heading to the Mile High City, but crazier things have happened in the NFL.
