NFL Trade Rumors: New England Patriots Monitoring Deshaun Watson Situation in Houston

Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans endured a forgettable outing in the NFL last year. They started their 2020 NFL campaign with a 4-game losing streak, which saw GM/HC Bill O’Brien lose his job with Romeo Crennel taking over as the interim boss. Ultimately, the Texans could only manage a 3rd-place finish in the AFC South with a 4-12 record.

Despite their collective struggles on the football field, quarterback Deshaun Watson maintained his consistent standard in 2020.

The former Clemson Tigers star concluded the regular season as the league’s passing yards leader. He threw for 4,823 yards with 33 passing TDs against just 7 interceptions.

Watson penned a 4-year extension with the Texans worth $177.5 million on September 5th, 2020. The deal made him one of the highest-earning players in the NFL.

But as things stand, it seems like the 25-year-old has already played his last game as a Texans player.

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Deshaun Watson still looking for a new team ahead of the 2021 season

After multiple reports stating that Deshaun Watson is ‘done’ in Houston, a number of NFL teams are reportedly interested in sealing a trade deal.

The likes of Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, and even the Denver Broncos, have contacted the Texans over a potential deal.

But another team that might put their name in contention for the in-demand quarterback are the Bill Belichick-led New England Patriots.

A recent report by Jeff Howe in The Athletic indicates that Watson will be a viable option at quarterback for the 6-time Super Bowl champions.

The Patriots have been busy this week. They’ve made some great offensive signings in the form of Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, and Jonnu Smith from the free agency pool.

Their 9 signings in the offseason are worth more than $273 million. But they have structured the deals in such a way that it leaves only a minuscule dent on their 2021 cap space.

As per the report, New England still have a $35-$40 million budget to work around, which makes Watson a realistic option. Yes, they’ve re-signed Cam Newton on a 1-year deal. But he is on a low-wage contract with most of his salary sealed in incentive-based clauses.

Deshaun Watson could be the ideal replacement for the legendary Tom Brady. At 25, he could be a long-term solution for the Patriots’ quarterback woes. But will coach Belichick go in for the kill this summer?

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