Deshaun Watson's Trade Update

Deshaun Watson was the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and he’s off to a quick start this season. Last year, he threw for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns, while adding 269 yards and another five scores on the ground. 

There’s no reason to think that Watson won’t continue to improve in 2018, especially with rumors circulating that he might be traded from the Houston Texans to another team.

Where Does He Stand as of Today?

According to ESPN, things aren't looking good for Deshaun Watson. The Texans' second-year quarterback has not been able to take part in Houston's offseason program while he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered during practice last season. 

Additionally, he hasn't been able to practice because of a knee bone bruise since mid-April. But head coach Bill O'Brien said that despite what's happened so far in OTAs, there is no concern with his availability when training camp begins in late July. Oh yeah, O'Brien told reporters about whether he expects Watson back for training camp.

A look at his stats from 2018

Deshaun Watson threw for 1,699 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in seven games before tearing his ACL in practice on November 2. 

The Texans were 4-3 at that point. Houston went 1-4 without him, completing one of its worst seasons ever with a 4-12 mark. 

No matter how bad things looked for them, though, they always got worse after his injury—the first of two he suffered last season. And that says something about both him and Houston as a whole: 2017 was supposed to be their breakout year.

What does the future hold for him?

The Miami Dolphins are considering moving to trade QB Ryan Tannehill in order to make room for rookie Deshaun Watson. Although no decision has been made yet, it's clear that Watson will be starting for at least one of their games during the preseason. 

If he performs well and they don't want to change any of their strategies, they may want to keep him as a backup while he learns under Tannehill. 

If that ends up being their decision, they might not be looking to trade him anymore because starting is more valuable than being a backup player on another team.

Is he on any team’s radar?

By now, you've probably heard that Deshaun Watson is on the trade block. Where could he end up? In what scenario might he stay in Houston? These are questions we can't answer right now. 

There are many factors to consider: Watson's play, his salary, how badly Houston wants to rebuild (assuming they do), and how other teams view him. 

All we know is that there are many possibilities. The Colts look like an obvious landing spot given their needs and Andrew Luck's injury history; if they were willing to give up a first-round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo last year, why not do it again?

What are other possible options available to him?

If you remember, Deshaun Watson is a franchise quarterback for a struggling franchise. So what are other possible options available to him in case he would prefer not to play football? 

He could retire from football, but most people don’t know that during his rookie year and second year in Houston he had kidney damage that could lead to long-term problems if he would continue playing football. 

There are also talks about Deshaun Watson's update that there have been issues with trade within football as well. 

None of us know for sure what’s going on behind closed doors so we can only speculate what might be happening between Deshaun Watson's update and the browns or Giants and Texans.

Latest Update on Deshaun Watson's Trade

Deshaun Watson's trade from the Houston Texans to the New England Patriots may have been one of the biggest moves of this off-season, so it's no surprise that fans are keeping an eye on every update possible. 

As soon as Deshaun Watson signed with New England, rumors began swirling about how long he would be staying there and whether or not he would make an impact on the season. Here are some of the latest updates on Deshaun Watson and his progress with the New England Patriots.

The Texans Have Made Another Trade

The Houston Texans announced that they have acquired a 2018 first-round pick from Cleveland in exchange for QB Deshaun Watson. 

The Browns are also getting Houston’s 2018 fourth-round pick, as well as its 2019 first-round and second-round picks. 

The two teams also swapped picks in next year’s third round. The trademarks are another big move for Houston GM Brian Gaine, who has been working to overhaul his roster since taking over in January. Since then, he’s traded All-Pro DE Jadeveon Clowney and former No. 

1 overall pick LT Duane Brown while signing FS Tyrann Mathieu away from Arizona on a one-year deal worth $7 million.

Is Watson Going to Start Over Osweiler?

Both Osweiler and Watson were drafted in 2012, so it isn’t surprising that there’s a connection between these two. Now, according to an insider from Texans camp, it seems like Tom Savage may be warming up over Osweiler as his backup. 

That leaves just one question: when will they trade Deshaun Watson? As he continues to impress at training camp, rumors will continue to circulate around whether or not he’ll become a starting quarterback for another team or if he'll get traded before the season starts. Until then, it looks like Tom Savage is already winning over Texans fans and experts alike.

What Should the Texans Do Next?

After trading quarterback Deshaun Watson to acquire more draft capital, what should Houston do next? The Texans could attempt to trade for Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo or could consider drafting a new signal-caller in April. 

Quarterback is arguably still their biggest need, but Houston will almost certainly address defense with its first pick. Could Clemson’s Mike Williams or Western Michigan’s Corey Davis be first-round targets? It makes sense given how poor Houston’s secondary has been over recent years. 

However, don't discount Alabama pass rusher, Tim Williams, as a possibility at No. 25 overall; he would give Romeo Crennel another edge rusher from which to choose—which is something he hasn't had in his short time with the Texans.

A Quick Summary of Recent Events

On Friday, April 20th, NFL Network Analyst Ian Rapoport revealed that there are three teams showing interest in trading for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Those three teams were: Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals. 

Each of these teams had a first-round pick to offer Houston in return. The next day on Saturday, April 21st, Ian Rapoport tweeted out saying Watson's deal may not get done tonight but he is getting closer to being traded. 

Later that night around 10 pm (Eastern Time), ESPN's Adam Schefter shared some insight into what it would take for trade with Deshaun Watson update to happen: Hearing trade talks involving Texans' QB DeShaun Watson have been very preliminary in nature thus far.

How Does This Affect Fantasy Football?

For fantasy football owners, how you value Deshaun Watson's update will depend on what his situation will be like in 2019. 

Whether or not he ends up with a new team at all, if he’s traded to a different team or kept with Houston, and even where he lands within his own organization matters when looking at how to value him next season. 

For example, if he’s kept as a starter and is set to throw passes in an offense that knows how to feed its star players (looking at you Josh McDaniels), then it would make sense to bump him up to your rankings.

What Has Happened Since Our Last Update?

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has said that one of his sources told him there is a good chance that Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson will be traded to an AFC team before Thursday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. 

The Miami Dolphins, who have been in discussions with Houston over a potential trade, are now pushing hard for a deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 

However, Schefter adds that another source told him no deal is imminent. This comes just hours after NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that there was no actual trade yet.

Fantasy Football Implications

What does [insert team name] trade for Deshaun Watson mean for fantasy football? I suppose there are two reasons you’re reading right now. 

One, you’re a diehard Texans fan who needs to know what’s going on with your favorite quarterback. Or two, you’re a fantasy football owner who wants to capitalize on someone else’s misfortune. 

If it’s part one, I hope we can help each other out as best we can. For part two, my suggestion is to sit back and do nothing—unless you have an IR spot to stash him in until he recovers from his ACL tear.

Other Articles That Might Interest You

The Dolphins Traded for Deshaun Watson; Here’s How it Affects His Fantasy Value More than a week ago, reports indicated that Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase was interested in trading for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. 

That trade has now gone down, as Miami sent their 2019 first-round pick to Houston in exchange for their 2017 national championship winner. 

While we don’t know if any other pieces were involved in the deal, it appears that NFL insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that no other players will be joining Watson in South Beach. 

The news should be encouraging to fantasy football players who have been following along with his recovery from ACL surgery.