Washington Football Team: Exploring every potential quarterback trade target

QB Deshaun Watson, Texans

Here he is. The great white whale of the offseason.

Will Deshaun Watson actually be traded? It’s unclear at this point, but what is clear is that he’s not happy with the Houston Texans at the moment. He feels that their front office has let him down time and time again whether it was by trading DeAndre Hopkins or implying that he would be consulted on the team’s GM and coaching search only to be left out entirely.

As such, rumors have been flying around about Watson’s availability. And it’s easy to see why. Watson, 25, has the highest completion percentage in NFL history among qualified passers (67.8 percent). He led the NFL in passing yards last year, threw for 33 touchdowns, and is an excellent scrambler.

Watson can do it all. He was able to succeed in Houston despite Bill O’Brien’s poor coaching. He has the arm strength and arm talent to make any throw on the field. He makes jaw-dropping plays with his legs and his escapability is off the chart. In short, he is a sure-fire top-eight NFL QB, and well may be better.

Washington should absolutely try to get Watson if they can. He’s one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks, but it’s worth it given his age. Of course, there are some obstacles that the team would have to navigate to acquire Watson, as I outlined in a recent piece.

"First of all, Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have control of where he might light. Washington should be attractive to Watson, but it’s possible that he may prefer to go to an offensive-minded head coach like Frank Reich or Kyle Shanahan. His decision could influence any possible Washington involvement. Additionally, the cost of acquiring Watson would likely be astronomical. His contract is already signed, so that’s a plus, but he is a proven, young franchise quarterback that can instantly lift a team into contention. Finding those on the open market is borderline impossible. Sure, Washington might have leverage in any trade talks if they are Watson’s preferred destination, but the Texans wouldn’t just give him away, either. It would likely cost Washington multiple first-round picks, some Day 2 compensation, and, perhaps, even a player to get Watson. They could also opt to take back a bloated contract from the cap-strapped Texans. Brandin Cooks‘ contract ($12 million cap hit) stands out as one that the Texans could move that Washington would have an interest in taking on to upgrade their receiving corps since Cooks is still an effective starter who has good chemistry with Watson."

Is Watson worth that type of package? Probably. Is Washington willing to pay that much to get him? Or outbid another team for Watson’s services? That remains to be seen.

Watson’s name will be the biggest one on the trade market this year. Expect to hear Washington mentioned in the conversation for him though it may be tough for them to outbid a team like the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins if Houston does opt to sell him to the highest bidder.