Well, shit. The Bears’ offseason dream of undoing one of their biggest draft mistakes seems to be ending before it really starts.
Deshaun Watson may already be away from home in Houston, but he wants his plane ticket to read “Miami”, not “Chicago” when the final handshakes are over:
There is a growing sense of people in and around the Texans organization that Deshaun Watson played his last chance for the team. It is the beginning of the low season, a long time ago, but Watson’s feelings cannot and should not be underestimated.
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2021
League sources believe that #Texans QB Deshaun Watson threw his last snap at the #Texans and the #Dolphins are your favorite destination, according to @AdamSchefter and @mortreport pic.twitter.com/9TQS9mWrVe
– Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 17, 2021
There was no shortage of reports about Watson’s unhappiness with the way things have been going in Houston for the past two years, so there is no real surprise here about his (1) desire or (2) ability to leave Houston. In fact, that was what we were counting on, since the same old Bears front office prioritizes the position of defender once again in this off-season. The bigger news (but worse for Chicago) is that Watson wants to go to the Dolphins – a team that can certainly put an attractive enough deal on the table, especially if it includes Tua Tagovailoa plus some first-round players (including, potentially, a top choose this year).
(And it’s not just Miami)
This is what the Bears would face. Perhaps the second general choice. Maybe Yours. It will take a long time to get Watson. https://t.co/N70xp2LyQo
– JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) January 17, 2021
The Bears, you must remember, choose the twentieth.
No, switching to Deshaun Watson would not absolve the Bears from their past sins and would certainly cost a lot to do. But this team is HUNGRY by a franchise quarterback. And at least, negotiating for an established and aged talent like Watson would not require much adherence or belief in Pace / Nagy. We know that he is a star. And we know that the Bears need one. We are not yet past the point of return, but if Houston is going to negotiate Watson, Miami seems to align with them better than Chicago.
