Deshaun Watson still firmly wants to be traded from the Houston Texans. Although the organization has tried everything in its power to change his mind, including having multiple representatives reach out and clear the air with him, nothing has worked.
While the Texans are publicly maintaining that they have no intention of moving Watson, mostly to preserve their trade leverage, clearly things are a little different behind the scenes.
In a recent column, Peter King of Pro Football Talk suggested a deal that could solve a lot of different problems in one fatal swoop.
“This is centered on the premise that San Francisco would not want to rip apart a team and a future, and might be willing to take a lesser deal for a quarterback [Kyle] Shanahan has long admired,” he wrote.
“And also that [Nick] Caserio, in the heart of the draft room in 2014 when the Patriots made [Jimmy] Garoppolo a second-round pick, would want to try again with Jimmy G. It’s a wing and a prayer, but fascinating to me.”
So who would end up with what?
“The Vikings send quarterback Kirk Cousins to San Francisco,” he wrote. “The Niners send Garoppolo to Houston, if, of course, he’d waive his no-trade. The Texans send Watson to Minnesota. In return: the Niners send their first-round pick in 2021 (12th overall) to Houston, and they’re out. (So San Francisco would be trading Garoppolo and a one to Houston and getting Cousins with two years left on his contract.)
“The Vikings would send linebacker Anthony Barr and running back Alexander Mattison plus their first-round picks in 2021 (14th overall) and 2023, and second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 in exchange for Watson. Houston’s haul: Garoppolo, two ones this year, a one in 2023, and two second-round picks.”
Generally speaking, when players of this stature and draft picks of this magnitude get moved, there are very clear winners and losers. In King’s proposal, however, the deal appears to be a win-win-win.
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Obviously there are a lot of variables at work here. Watson’s camp has indicated that they will only accept a trade to one of three teams. He has also made it clear that there is at least one team in the league he refuses to go to.
But if all parties involved can make something happen, it will boost the fortunes of all the franchises participating for many years to come.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
