Odds of Bears trading for Deshaun Watson just went up
The odds that the Chicago Bears will trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson are long, at best. The cost to acquire one of the league’s best young quarterbacks will be more than it was to snag Khalil Mack, which came at a price tag that included two first-round picks.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, especially now that it appears more likely that the Texans will have little choice but to move on from Watson this offseason.
According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, there’s a growing feeling that Watson’s played his last game in Houston.
There is a growing sense from people in and around the Texans’ organization that Deshaun Watson has played his last snap for the team. It’s early in the off-season, there’s a lot of time left, but Watson’s feelings cannot and should not be underestimated.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2021
Waston’s expressed his displeasure with the process the Texans used to hire new general manager Nick Caserio, and he’s taken to social media to make his frustration known.
And while it seemed like it would be a situation that was destined to blow over, it’s gone from bad to worse. Watson isn’t the only one who views the Texans as a burning dumpster fire.
According to Schefter, their head coaching vacancy is viewed as the most undesirable in the NFL.
One league source connected to the Texans' HC situation said Saturday: "It's gone from the least desirable head coaching job to the most undesirable head coaching job in the NFL. That's a fact. That's how that job is now looked at by everybody."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2021
The Bears are entering the offseason with quarterback at the top of their team needs. There’s little to no chance Mitch Trubisky will be back, and even if Nick Foles returns, he’ll be QB2. Chicago is armed with a first-round pick for the first time since 2018 too, so if the Texans want a package of first-rounders to strike a deal, the Bears have the ammo to at least be in the conversation.
The bigger problem for Chicago and a potential Watson trade is the salary cap. His 2021 cap hit is just under $16 million but balloons to over $40 million in 2022 and 2023. According to Spotrac.com, the Bears rank in the bottom 10 in the NFL in salary cap space entering the 2021 offseason.
I’ve often said the salary cap is fake. But in this case, it’s really, really complicated.
What we do know is this: GM Ryan Pace is an aggressive guy, and if he has a chance to land a franchise-changing player, he doesn’t shy away from pulling the trigger. He did it when he traded up for Trubisky in the 2017 draft and he proved his mettle when he struck the Mack deal, one that took a lot of courage and cost a heavy price.
Will Pace be comfortable trading as many as three first-round picks for Watson? The answer seems like it should be an obvious yes, but the Bears won’t be the only suitor for Watson should he actually be placed on the trade market.
