Deshaun Watson trade scenarios are flourishing, especially upon recent news that the three-time Pro Bowler reportedly told new coach David Culley he has no plans to return to the Houston Texans.
Most people have scenarios where Watson goes to the New York Jets or the Miami Dolphins. However, Brad Spielberger and Kevin Cole from Pro Football Focus took a look at another quarterback-needy team no one is talking about: the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In their scenario, the Texans send Watson to the Jaguars and receive the No. 1 overall pick, the No. 21 overall pick, and the No. 33 overall pick, the first pick of Round 2.
Even though pundits believe Trevor Lawrence is as close to a sure thing in the 2021 NFL Draft as you could ever imagine, a sure thing in the NFL draft does not exist. There is no guarantee that Lawrence pans out in the NFL, even if it’s highly probable. Maybe Jacksonville reflects back on Blake Bortles and Blaine Gabbert and decides it would rather go with the known entity in Watson.
The lack of any future picks may seem off, but it’s very rare that a team can effectively trade three first-round picks in one draft, which is essentially what Jacksonville does here by including No. 33.
The scenario is highly unlikely. Even in 2008, when Brett Favre wanted to return to the Green Bay Packers, who had already moved on to Aaron Rodgers, the NFC North club wasn’t about to trade him to a division rival, which is how Favre landed with the New York Jets. In a similar vein, the Texans probably won’t deal Watson to a division rival. The possibility of facing him in the AFC is scary enough.
From Jacksonville’s standpoint, they would win immediately with Watson. However, from a team standpoint, they gave up a first-rounder and a second-rounder that could have helped the team to get a guy who locks down the position, when they probably could have done it cheaper by taking Lawrence. The Jaguars would have to be some sort of Dan Snyder operation to do that.
