Deshaun Watson is not a happy camper, and the Houston Texans look like they might be preparing for a trade. The team signed Tyrod Taylor to a one-year deal worth up to $12.5 million, meaning that they have a short-term solution if they part ways with Watson. While it’s still anyone’s guess where he ultimately lands, there are some signs that the New England Patriots could be ready to make a move.
[pickup_prop id=”3775″]
NFL Rumors: New England Patriots Gearing Up For Deshaun Watson Trade
Speculation about New England trying to acquire Deshaun Watson began with a tweet by Jeff Howe of The Athletic. While he doesn’t say that a trade is inevitable, the fact that he even mentioned it as a possibility implies that the team is going to try to make something happens. Howe is perhaps the most reliable and accurate reporter on the Patriots beat, and he wouldn’t have sent this out if a trade wasn’t possible.
Update: Howe wrote an entire article on the possibility
Even after all this spending, the Patriots have more than enough cap space to take on Deshaun Watson and add more in free agency, if such a move were ever in the cards.
These contracts were very soundly structured to mirror the exploding salary cap with the impending TV deals.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 16, 2021
New England obviously needs help at quarterback, as Cam Newton is not the long-term answer under center. Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning that he’d need to approve a move to a new team. The Patriots were not on his list of acceptable suitors prior to the start of free agency, thanks in large part to the underwhelming supporting cast.
However, the Patriots went haywire in free agency, signing Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne in the past two days. Even though New England handed out a bunch of money, the structuring of the contracts allows the Patriots to remain aggressive and add even more pieces, if they so desire. These added playmakers will make New England a much more appealing destination, and could be enough for Watson to waive his no-trade clause.
Watson will not come cheap, nor should he. If the Patriots want to acquire the franchise quarterback, they’ll need to give up multiple first-round picks and probably somebody like cornerback Stephon Gilmore. For what it’s worth, last year at this time, Vegas gave Deshaun Watson the highest odds of being New England’s quarterback in 2021.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
