This Texans-Patriots Deshaun Watson Trade Could Really Work
By Scott Rogust
Never have we ever seen a powerhouse team royally screw up their future more than the Houston Texans. Marred by the questionable play calling of head coach Bill O'Brien, the Texans organization continued to put their blind faith in him. So much so, that they actually named him general manager.
To usher in the "BOB Front Office Era," O'Brien traded away star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for declining running back David Johnson, a second-round pick, and a fourth round selection. Now, quarterback Deshaun Watson is rightfully frustrated, leading to speculation that the star signal caller will want out of Houston.
We happen to know a team that needs a quarterback: the New England Patriots.
The New England dynasty is officially over, as 20-year starting quarterback Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Now, head coach Bill Belichick is relying upon Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer, and Cody Kessler to replace Brady, which simply is't feasible.
So, how would the Patriots acquire a disgruntled Watson? Even if O'Brien has solidified himself as the worst general manager in the league, he's not going to give up Watson for nothing. And to be quite frank, it's going to take a lot to acquire a quarterback with the skillset of Watson.
The Patriots would surrender a 2020 first rounder, 2021 first rounder, a 2021 third rounder and offensive guard Joe Thuney in exchange for Watson.
Just think about it, the Texans don't have first round picks for the next two years, and they can get them back from the Patriots. That would allow the Texans to select their quarterback of the future within the next two years. Additionally, Houston can protect their next quarterback by locking in Thuney and Laremy Tunsil (both free agents in 2021) to long-term contracts. As for the Patriots, they are expected to have over $110 million in cap space in 2021, which will allow them to sign Watson to a new contract and in turn, have Brady's successor in place.
It's a complicated trade, but this would make sense.