NFL insider shares where Deshaun Watson stands in decision process
Deshaun Watson is not any closer to making a decision on where he wants to spend the next few years of his career, according to multiple reports. It seems the group has been narrowed down to two teams in the same division: The Saints and Falcons.
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, quarterback Deshaun Watson remains undecided between the trio of NFC South teams that are in hot pursuit of his services,” Mike Florio wrote Thursday.
The Browns and have been ruled out despite Baker Mayfield‘s cryptic thank you letter to Cleveland, and reports continue to contradict each other, but Florio believes the Falcons have emerged as the team to beat to sign the All-Pro Texans quarterback.
Following meetings with the Saints, Panthers and Browns, ESPN’s Dianna Russini shared that the Texans required one condition from teams hoping for a meeting with the former starter. First, Houston wanted to see trade packages, then they’d green-light meetings. It is now being reported that the Panthers are out of contention for a Watson trade.
“It seemed earlier as if he were poised to pick the Falcons, given tight end Kyle Pitts‘ deleted tweet suggesting that something big was coming,” Florio wrote. “He later attributed saying ‘it’s about to get scary in Atlanta’ to the signing of veteran cornerback Casey Hayward. Which makes the decision to delete the tweet confusing, at best.”
The Falcons need to know something soon, because current long-time quarterback Matt Ryan earns a $7.5 million roster bonus that was pushed back from Friday, according to Adam Schefter, adding four extra days to hear the Watson decision and work on potential trade scenarios for Ryan. Earning of the payment may trigger cap complications, bumping a dead-money charge of more than $40 million to more than $48 million on Ryan’s contract.
While Ryan has made no indication that he wants to finish his career out anywhere other than Atlanta, but with the Falcons offense remaining stagnant since their Super Bowl appearance in 2017 where they famously blew a 28-3 lead en route to Tom Brady‘s fifth Super Bowl ring, it might be time for both parties to move forward and usher in a new era in Atlanta.
In his final year as starter for the Texans in 2020, Watson posted 4,923 passing yards and 444 rushing yards. He had a 70% completion percentage, 36 total touchdowns and seven interceptions, stats that are very enticing for the teams vying for Watson’s services.