Should You Be Bullish if Deshaun Watson Lands Elsewhere in 2021?

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is reportedly a 10 out of 10 on the anger scale after the hiring of Nick Caserio.

We now know the Texans ignored a hiring firm they paid for, in which Caserio didn’t grace the firm’s short list of qualified candidates. Worse, they hired Caserio without input from the franchise player.

And in today’s league, it’s a big no-no. Especially when Watson found out almost one calendar year from the time of this writing via Twitter that the team traded away wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals.

It’s the same old, same old, regarding one of the NFL’s most dysfunctional franchises since 2002.

And now ask yourself if you should be bullish on Deshaun Watson if he lands elsewhere in 2021.

The short answer: Yes and no.

The following sections will give you potential landing spots and tell you what to watch for.

1 – Washington Football Team – Bull

Okay, the Washington Football Team may love what they saw from Taylor Heinicke in Saturday’s wild card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But ask yourself: Is Taylor Heinicke a long-term solution?

Realistically, no.

We also know Washington has one of the NFL’s finest defenses and overall young talent at offensive skill positions. The list doesn’t end in terms of solid but unspectacular, adequate, and elite players.

So if Watson ends up in burgundy and gold next season, expect this already dark horse Super Bowl pick’s odds to skyrocket.

Can you imagine Watson throwing the ball to Terry McLaurin, Logan Thomas, and Antonio Gibson?

Pair him with another franchise player in Chase Young and the Washington Football Team’s future looks like a bright futures bet. They won’t be winning the NFC East with a 7-9 record in 2021 if Watson goes.

They will be the best incarnation the Football Team has had since 1991.

2 – New York Jets – Bear

The Jets hold the second overall pick and will probably take a quarterback. Unless they work out a deal for Watson.

Watson heading to the Jets is a long-shot, and one reason I’d be bearish here is because you’re looking at an eerily similar situation in New York that he would leave in Houston.

The New York Jets lack everything from a solid front office and guidance from ownership to one of the league’s worst products on the field.

The best way to describe the Jets in every facet on offense?

Washed up.

From Frank Gore (who will be elsewhere if not retired) to Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, and other has-been players to busts like tight end Chris Herndon IV, Watson is walking into another 4-12 situation.

So if he’s suiting up for Gang Green in 2021, steer clear as far as you can.

3 – New England Patriots – Bull (Odds at +200)

So much for the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills becoming potentially relevant franchises, because here comes the New England Patriots again.

Look, if this team could go 7-9 after losing literally half their starting defense to free agency and opt outs, and replacing Tom Brady with Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham and a bunch of no-name backs and receivers, what won’t the Patriots do?

Know this: They will be a fiery bet to win the AFC East, AFC, and perhaps even the Super Bowl if Belichick makes a play for Watson. And you know he will try to make that play for Watson, even if it costs the Pats 2 first-round picks.

Keep an eye as the Watson saga continues to develop. Especially once the new league year strikes. And if the Patriots snag him, you can expect their odds to return to a familiar place. And in the minds of the New England faithful, it will have felt like years.

4 – Denver Broncos – Bull (Odds at +350)

The Broncos are loaded with young talent, and it’s something the Texans didn’t have. Also, incumbent quarterback Drew Lock did next to nothing to make anyone believe he’s the quarterback of the future.

In fact, Lock regressed in 2020 and the Broncos entire quarterback situation grew so bad that a converted receiver named Kendall Hinton started a game at the position.

So should you be all in on the Broncos?

Don’t expect Watson to become the 2013 version of Peyton Manning, but expect a better and more relevant football team that will have found a quarterback willing to lead a young core of players that includes Courtland Sutton, Phillip Lindsay, Noah Fant, and Jerry Jeudy.

Even if the Denver Broncos need a lot of work on the defensive side of the ball, this will be a fun ride that may threaten to disrupt the hierarchy in the AFC West. Patrick Mahomes, you have met your match. Justin Herbert, you aren’t taking anyone by surprise in 2021.

Derek Carr, you just keep throwing the ball to Darren Waller and Watson will probably out-duel you in both meetings.

But enough kidding around. Expect the Broncos to become a hot futures bet if Watson takes the saddle in the Mile-High City.

5 – Detroit Lions – Neutral (Odds at +1000)

I so want to place the Bull label on the Detroit Lions, but it’s just so hard. One reason is because they already have a great yet aging quarterback in Matthew Stafford.

But let’s be honest. Stafford, despite legendary numbers, has done what for the Lions?

Provide false hope?

Yeah, we can go with that.

So expect the new front office and coaching staff to make a play for a marquee quarterback, and it may just be Deshaun Watson, among others. Or at least it should be, because other potential quarterbacks on the move won’t put butts back in seats the moment they give teams the all-clear.

Heck, even the cardboard cutouts may make a dash for the exit if the team either sticks with an aging Stafford, trades for Carson Wentz, Mitchell Trubisky, or Sam Darnold.

Would you seriously consider betting on the Lions if they went after any potential mover than Watson?

Probably not.

So the Lions are that one team where it’s hard to be Bullish or Bearish. Like the Cleveland Browns, they’re an easy team to root for. Unlike the Browns (who for once, won a playoff game), the Lions are facing a full rebuild.

It would be a longshot to woo Deshaun Watson. And an even longer shot for this team to become a decent futures bet. His presence will tip the needle toward the Neutral label from Bearish.

6 – Carolina Panthers – Bull

Could you imagine Watson handing off to Christian McCaffrey and that deep Panthers backfield? Or throwing the ball to D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson?

Oho, the Carolina Panthers may become yet another dark horse Super Bowl pick here and may the odds ever be in their favor. Especially if the Falcons rebuild and Drew Brees calls it quits after the season ends (Taysom who?).

Yes, the Panthers will have nice odds to encroach on their over-under, win the NFC South, and even see fine odds to win the NFC and the Super Bowl. So if Matt Rhule makes a play and lands arguably one of the league’s biggest prizes in Watson, it’s okay to be Bullish on the long-suffering Panthers.

7 – Miami Dolphins – Bull

Yes, the experts at ESPN and over at NFL Network have laid out the scenario. Tua for Deshaun.

Can it happen?

Bet on it, given Tua’s lack of productivity with Miami, which ultimately cost the 10-6 Dolphins a playoff spot.

Don’t get me wrong; Tua Tagovailoa is going to be a great quarterback, so you can expect Josh Allen type of growth from the kid. But the Dolphins are in win-now mode. The Texans aren’t. So if you think this trade makes zero sense, it makes a ton of sense.

Just ask the Cardinals fan writing this post after the team traded Josh Rosen to Miami after one season and selected Kyler Murray first overall. It doesn’t take a veteran sports bettor to realize the Cardinals made the right move.

And it won’t take a vet to realize the Dolphins would make the right move in offering the Texans Tua and perhaps a first-round pick for Watson. Both teams win out. The Miami Dolphins have a franchise quarterback in his prime, and the Texans have a man they can build around.

This is not any fault to Tua. It’s Just a sensible trade that will return the Dolphins to the Marino era, much like Josh Allen returned the Bills to the Kelly era.

Conclusion

As you can see, you have a lot of reasons to be Bullish on Deshaun Watson’s potential landing spots if he leaves the Houston Texans. Especially if he goes to a team like the Miami Dolphins who are only a quarterback away from becoming a popular futures bet.

So continue to watch the Watson saga unfold. And don’t limit the potential landing spots to just the 7 teams listed above. Watson is a Pro Bowl and All-Pro-caliber quarterback who can end up anywhere in the league.

But as you can tell from this short list of 7 teams. Most of the time, it’s easy to be Bullish.

What are your thoughts on Watson’s landing spots? Do you agree with the Bull/Neutral/Bear rankings? Let us know your side in the comments.