NFL Rumor Texans DeShaun Watson to Jaguars for #1 pick Trevor Lawrence could be in play

[joewilly12]

NFL rumors: Texans’ Deshaun Watson to Jaguars for No. 1 pick (Trevor Lawrence) could be in play

Updated 7:07 AM; Today 7:05 AM 

The Houston Texans might be forced to trade quarterback Deshaun Watson.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

 

By Mike Rosenstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

This could be the blockbuster of all NFL blockbuster trades.

The Athletic reports “One industry insider with insight into Urban Meyer thinks the Jaguars’ new coach could see the appeal of offering the first pick in April’s draft — i.e. Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence — in a package for (Deshaun) Watson. Though the Jaguars, coming off a 1-15 season, aren’t positioned to contend immediately, Watson would speed up the process for Meyer.”

Meyer, of course, is beginning his first season as an NFL head coach, after winning three national titles in college. 

 

Lawrence is the consensus top prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft.

 

Everyone has assumed Meyer will begin his Jacksonville rebuild by selecting Lawrence, leaving the New York Jets with a choice to make at No. 2: select a quarterback like Ohio State’s Justin Fields or BYU’s Zach Wilson; add an offensive playmaker like Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith; or trade down and collect more draft picks.

 

But a Watson-Jaguars deal would turn the draft upside down. The Texans deny they are trading the 25-year-old Watson, who wants out after four seasons in Houston, three of which saw the QB earn Pro Bowl nods.

Watson, who led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards in 2020, is disgruntled after being left out of the Texans’ decision-making process which saw them hire Nick Caserio as general manager and David Culley as head coach.

[T0mShane]

1 minute ago, joewilly12 said:

One industry insider with insight into Urban Meyer thinks the Jaguars’ new coach could see the appeal of offering the first pick in April’s draft

Wow that is substantial and concrete

[joewilly12]

1 minute ago, T0mShane said:

Wow that is substantial and concrete

Mike Rosenstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

[freestater]

Well that's a kick in the nuts.

[T0mShane]

I too can potentially see the appeal in trading for an established star QB <save><publish>

[Adoni Beast]

I’m sure this is rubbish but if I’m Jax I’d do this in a heartbeat.

Trevor Lawrence has all the makings to potentially be a top 3 QB in the league.

Deshaun Watson already is. 

[Icer]

Yeah right

[freestater]

Fields it is. 

[Untouchable]

These dipsh*ts are just throwing around anything and everything at this point.

[T0mShane]

Deshaun Watson escaping from an unstable, over-empowered narcissistic evangelical nut bag only to get traded to Urban Meyer would be pretty awesome. 

[GreekJet]

Lawrence is a devout Christian so that would appeal to the Texans. 

[ChewyandtheJets]

so watson @ 40 million per year versus lawrence @ $7 million per year.  interesting discussion but if i'm jacksonville i pass...

[slimjasi]

I don't see Watson being traded within the division under any circumstances. 

[Nick Blitz]

Two problems with this in my opinion.

Would the Texans really trade Watson to a division rival? I’m not convinced.

And would Deshaun waive his no trade clause to go to Jacksonville? A small market team with a bottom 5 roster. I’d say unlikely.

[Jet2020]

4 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

I don't see Watson being traded within the division under any circumstances. 

Unless it was for a “generational” talent at QB. 

[Jetsfan80]

4 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

I don't see Watson being traded within the division under any circumstances. 

 

Exactly.  The very last thing the Texans would want to do is face Watson 2x a year for the next decade+.  

They'll ship him to the NFC for 60 cents on the dollar before doing that.

[Jetsfan80]

Just now, Jet2020 said:

Unless it was for a “generational” talent at QB. 

Watson >>> Lawrence

[GreekJet]

I wish we were having this debate. Thanks Rams and Browns!

[Jet2020]

I’m not even entertaining the Watson trade at this point and I don’t think it’s happening for us. Looking forward to Wilson airing it out in NY with 2-3 extra starters we couldn’t sign with Watson here plus the 2-2 additional high draft picks. 

[TokyoJetsFan]

Generational trade

[slimjasi]

4 minutes ago, Jet2020 said:

Unless it was for a “generational” talent at QB. 

It's too much of a risk for both parties, IMO. 

 

Divisional trades are hard to begin with. Add in an established star QB  and a potential future star QB and I just don't see it. I'm having trouble even thinking of examples of QB trades within an NFL division - the only one that comes to mind is Donovan McNabb. 

[flgreen]

19 minutes ago, GreekJet said:

Lawrence is a devout Christian so that would appeal to the Texans. 

So is Watson

[More Cowbell]

You have a no trade clause so you don't  get traded to a team lime Jacksonville.

[Jetsfan80]

12 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

It's too much of a risk for both parties, IMO. 

 

Divisional trades are hard to begin with. Add in an established star QB  and a potential future star QB and I just don't see it. I'm having trouble even thinking of examples of QB trades within an NFL division - the only one that comes to mind is Donovan McNabb. 

And in that situation, McNabb was toast or close to it, and the Eagles only ended up having to face McNabb 2 times while he was with Washington.  McNabb was 34 at the time and lasted just 1 season with Washington before being let go.  He finished out his career the following season in Minnesota, where he made just 6 starts.

Watson is 25 and hasn't even entered his prime.  Madness to trade him within the division.  Madness.  It would be hard enough to trade him within the conference, but that's where the best trade packages will be coming from.  

[Bruce Harper]

Not sure why the Jags wouldn't want to take advantage of Lawrence's rookie contract, if he's as good as people seem to think. 

And if Watson has a no trade contract, why would he want to go to the Jags?

[Greensleeves]

51 minutes ago, ChewyandtheJets said:

so watson @ 40 million per year versus lawrence @ $7 million per year.  interesting discussion but if i'm jacksonville i pass...

not the case - Watson's cap hits are manageable the next 4 years. Only 10.5 next year. 

[Sperm Edwards]

1 hour ago, ChewyandtheJets said:

so watson @ 40 million per year versus lawrence @ $7 million per year.  interesting discussion but if i'm jacksonville i pass...

Watson isn't $40MM/year and Lawrence isn't going to be $7MM/year. The disparity is about half that, and probably less. 

[kevinc855]

If I’m Jax you do it without a second thought...

Trevor MAY be a Top 5 QB one day

Watson IS a Top 5 QB

Safe money is make the deal 

[Greensleeves]

46 minutes ago, Jet2020 said:

I’m not even entertaining the Watson trade at this point briny think it’s happening for us. Looking forward to Wilson airing it out in NY with 2-3 extra starters we couldn’t sign with Watson here plus the 2-2 additional high draft picks. 

Except we can sign them with Watson because we have the money and they'll want to play with him. Not sure why people think we won't have a ton of resources whether we give up 3 #1s over two years or not. We'll have a ton of cap space and plenty of other pics to fill out the roster.

[Drums]

Yeah trade your QB to a division rival. That’s the last thing any reasonable franchise would do. Oh wait, this is the Texans. 

[GreekJet]

Keep in mind this would be like the Jets pulling off a blockbuster with the Dolphins. You think Houston wants to play Watson two times a year for the next decade? You think Jax wants to hand Lawrence over Houston?

[Lupz27]

1 hour ago, T0mShane said:

Wow that is substantial and concrete

Yeah especially when they address the Watson no trade clause, I mean who doesn’t want to go to Jacksonville ? ? 

[32EBoozer]

7 minutes ago, Greensleeves said:

not the case - Watson's cap hits are manageable the next 4 years. Only 10.5 next year. 

And his contract can be re-worked to spread money around. The signing bonus has already been paid by the Texans! 

[Sperm Edwards]

2021-2025 cost

• Watson = $146.54MM = $29.3MM average
• Lawrence = $68MM (likely 4 yrs $38MM plus a $30MM option for y5) = ~$13.5MM/yr average
• $29.3MM vs ~$13.5MM = about $15-16MM/year difference.

Except that's also presuming Lawrence doesn't get a mega extension before/at the start of his 4th season like Watson/Mahomes. The first 2 years of amortized signing bonus on such a huge deal would close that gap even further, probably ~$12MM give or take, or $2-3MM/year. 

True net cost difference between the two - if Lawrence is nearly Watson's equal on the field - is about $13MM/year. That's it. 

For a team like Jacksonville - or the Jets - who will be sitting on some $80MM of cap room in March, and no obvious drafted players in need of extending anytime soon, the cost difference is insignificant weighed against the importance of the position.

[Integrity28]

No trade clause. The editorial process is a lost art, I guess.