Having options always benefits the buyer, not the seller.
Imagine entering a supermarket. You need cereal, but all you see on the shelf is Cheerios. In this scenario, General Mills is doing well, knowing that it has a guaranteed maximum profit in return, since it has monopolized the market, leaving you with only one choice to satisfy your breakfast needs.
Next week, you return to the same supermarket in need of more cereal and are delighted to see that not only are there many Cheerios, but now Frosted Flakes are also available. Kelloggs basically muddied the waters for General Mills, creating competition by allowing the buyer to choose between several options.
Now, apply the same concept to Bears’ search for his franchise quarterback.
When the off-season started, Deshaun Watson made it very clear that he no longer wanted to be a Houston Texan, which made him the biggest fish in a lake that was almost nonexistent. Sure, the Texans want to keep Watson, but they know that if they are eventually forced into a negotiation, they will be able to collect the maximum amount because there are no other big names on the block.
However, to this day, Texans refuse to seek a deal, ignoring all questions and playing a dangerous game of chicken with their highly coveted defender. After all, the superstar signal callers in their 20s are the closest to the proverbial unicorn you can imagine. So it makes sense that Houston is trying to hold on to him forever.
* Russell Wilson enters the chat *
Proceed almost a month to the day of Watson’s exchange request and we hear from Russell Wilson, a permanent MVP candidate, that he is no longer happy in Seattle. He announced through his agent that he would accept a negotiation for four preferred destinations; Chicago, New Orleans, Las Vegas and Dallas.
In the blink of an eye, not only has Watson’s commercial market value diminished, but Houston’s influence over the Bears, Saints and Raiders, three teams consistently linked to Watson’s acquisition. Armed with the knowledge that Wilson would have a chance to wear his uniform, these teams could now reject Houston’s asking price if it was considered too high and instead turn their attention to cheating on Ciara’s husband.
Cue to GM Texans, NIck Caserio, punching the air.
Wilson’s exchange request was exactly what the Bears needed in this off-season to lessen the difficulty of finally finding their answer in the center and successfully changing the trajectory of their franchise. And, assuming that Texans eventually agree to negotiate Watson as logic would dictate, the Bears already seem to be repositioning their chess pieces, so when the time comes, they will be ready to attack.
In early March, the team started to make space by cutting veteran cornerback Buster Skrine. A day ago, they parted ways with OT, Bobbie Massie, saving $ 5.4 million. To the naked eye, it looks like GM Ryan Pace is creating space to accommodate a contract as big as the data for Watson and Wilson. At least, we can only wait.
Ultimately, despite Wilson’s brilliance, the ideal choice is Watson simply because of age (Watson is 25, Wilson is 32) and the ability to produce at an elite level for a long period of time. Any of them, before making their first pass, would be the best defender to play for Bears and I would be absolutely delighted if the team hit Wilson. But, Watson represents the power of the stars in the most important position in sports for at least another ten years.
Pace needs to satisfy the collective desire for cereal among Bears fans and the conditions are such that it needs to happen now. Flirt with Frosted Flakes and, at the same time, have eyes for Cheerios.
And so, I’m hungry.