Everybody is dying to know what will happen with Deshaun Watson in Houston. Plenty of people have their opinions. Some feel it’s inevitable he gets traded. The 25-year old is fed up with ownership and just wants out. Others don’t buy for a second the Texans can or will entertain the idea of dealing the superstar. One thing that is clear? The two sides are dug in for the time being. Watson is prepared to sit out and Houston, on the surface, seems committed to holding him hostage in hopes he comes around.
Thus teams like the Chicago Bears who have an obvious interest in him will have to wait. Discussions remain ongoing about what the Texans could get for Watson. All agree it would be massive. Multiple 1st and 2nd round picks. However, there is an added layer to this. Where would Watson want to go? The quarterback was smart enough to include a no-trade clause in his recent contract extension. So he has some leverage in where he could end up going.
Everybody has their theories about where they would be.
Some claim the Miami Dolphins. Others the San Francisco 49ers. There is no shortage of suitors but who should he go to? A surprising number of people have singled out the Bears as a landing spot that makes sense. Among them are former players including Ryan Clark and Watson’s childhood idol Michael Vick. Now we can add another name to that list.
Greg Jennings was on FOX Sports radio recently talking about the quarterback’s ongoing saga. When Chris Broussard asked him where he thinks Watson should go, the former Green Bay Packers receiver had an interesting response.
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Deshaun Watson only knows what Deshaun Watson wants
What Jennings says is true. Despite some age concerns, the Bears defense is still one of the better units in the league. They probably have one or two good years left before retooling is required. Offensively? They have some pieces in place. Allen Robinson should be back in 2021, either via the franchise tag or a long-term extension. One can imagine it’ll be the latter if a Watson trade happens.
Then there is the exciting Darnell Mooney, big tight end Cole Kmet, and dependable David Montgomery in the backfield. Not to mention the returning Tarik Cohen. All the Bears would have to do is make some tweaks to their offensive line and that unit could be something to watch in the near future. The big question is can GM Ryan Pace put together a package that the Texans would accept? Especially in comparison to other teams.
That is where a lot of people have a hard time seeing it happen.
This doesn’t mean the Bears won’t try. Deshaun Watson is worth it. He’s one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL. Chicago hasn’t had one of those since World War II. At this point any price seems worth it, even if the initial cost is steep. Watson would be around for 10 years if acquired. Such a deal would have plenty of time to work out in the long-term, even if they can’t capitalize on the initial window.
All of this aside, the team will need a lot of things to go right for it to happen.