On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news that now Texas quarterback Deshaun Watson requested an exchange. This exact event cannot remain in the annals of NFL history as a remember-where-you-were moment – Watson’s desire to leave Houston was already clear and, in addition, we’re all in the same place all the time – but it’s almost impossible to overstate the extent to which the ripple effects of Watson’s team change could spread. Watson is 25 years old. He is an elite quarterback. All teams, except Kansas City, have reason to at least think about acquiring it. I feel like I’m living in an unreality that this could really be happening, but I’m not. If I were, I would be in charge of the Houston Texans. By that count, there are more than 50 members of the NFL community who can be affected by whatever happens next. Joe Flacco is on the list, for God’s sake! And it’s unlikely to stop there – this list is by no means comprehensive. As with any confusion of epic proportions, the extent of precipitation cannot be fully cataloged in real time. Only history will trace the corollaries of Texans’ incompetence, such as those of the driver of the wrong turn of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, and will order its importance better than we are capable today. No one is guaranteed to be immune to the ramifications. If you are reading this, you probably deserve to be included in this list. Chaos is a ladder that Cal McNair and Jack Easterby held hands and tripped over. And now we are here:
1 Deshaun Watson
If his wish is granted, Watson will no longer have to play for an organization that, in the words of JJ Watt, “wasted” some of his early years. Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, which means he would have to approve any potential destination.
two Nick Caserio
The new general manager of Texans has barely started his new job and is already faced with a franchise change decision. He could end up with more draft choices at his disposal, but that would come at the expense of the franchise’s quarterback who was by far the most attractive feature in accepting the job. I think that’s what the $ 5 million a year is for.
3 – David Culley
This is an unfortunate situation for the new Texans coach – there is no other way to divide it, although Culley knew that he was signing up for it. He managed a five-year contract, a reflection that the work has some obvious disadvantages.
4 Chris Grier, GM of Miami, and 5 Brian Flores, Miami Head Coach
Dolphins have picks, limit space and no state income taxes to offer in a potential package. The Dolphins are favorites to get Watson and would immediately be a Super Bowl contender with him on the list. Houston would have to put up with sending Watson to an AFC team, as well as suffering the indignity of accepting previous choices that they traded in the first place for Laremy Tunsil.
6 Joe Douglas, GM of jetsand 7. Robert Saleh, Jets head coach
Watson could make the Jets good. That’s how important it is. He would be an incredible achievement for any coach and general manager, but for a young duo like Douglas and Saleh, he would have golden potential.
8 Scott Fitterer, Carolina GM, and 9. Matt Rhule, Panthers head coach
See above, with the Panthers being the obvious third competitor for Watson along with the Dolphins and Jets.
10/24. Tua Tagovailoa, Sam Darnold, Teddy Bridgewater, Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cam Newton, Mitch Trubisky, Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Alex Smith, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Lock, Joe Flacco
The off-season of 2021 was already set to be an unprecedented quarterback move. Stafford became the first domino to fall after being acquired by Rams in exchange for Jared Goff and three draft choices. The future of many other quarterbacks will somehow be determined by where Watson ends. Other defenders looking for new teams – like Rodgers, if he really bet – may no longer be at the top of the team lists. The market may not move much until Watson has a destination, which will dictate the landing points for many of the players above. Players like Tagovailoa or Darnold can see the teams that recruited them decide to move on, as Watson is available and any of them could end up in Houston as part of a trade package. (Ugh, hasn’t Tua been through enough?)
25 Justin Fields, 26. Zach Wilsonand 27. Several unidentified drafts
It will take a lot of starting capital to negotiate with Watson. Jets have no. 2 general choice and the choice of Dolphins no. 3. (A little-known fact is that this choice of draft was, at one point, the Texans’ own!) This means that one of the non-Trevor Lawrence quarterbacks in this year’s draft, mainly Ohio State Fields and BYU Wilson, has a chance to end up in Houston.
28 Mickey Loomis, Saints GM
We believe these truths are self-evident: an NFL team needs a good defender to fight and Saints general manager Loomis has never missed an opportunity to mortgage his team’s future in the service of victory now. Finding a way to negotiate for Watson after Drew Brees’ expected retirement from New Orleans already $ 90 million above the 2021 salary cap would be his magnum opus.
29 The Benson family checkbook
He is used to training with Loomis maneuvers. Watson’s salary cap reached for 2021 is $ 15.9 million for the team – which will help him expand his list of potential acceptable destinations – but rises to $ 40.4 million in 2022. The accounts of the Saints will end up winning. . . do not go?
30 The wage ceiling
If no. 30-31 really happen, the salary cap has to be put on the pasture. This has gone too far.
31 Bill O’Brien, Alabama OC
The reputation of the former Texas head coach is enhanced by default with each development in Houston.
32 David Mulugheta
Watson’s agent ranges from badass already (he helped orchestrate the Jalen Ramsey trade to the Rams) to definitely badass.
33 Any other agent ever
[Takes notes.]
34 DeAndre Hopkins
[Does victory lap.]
35 Laremy Tunsil
Unfortunately, Tunsil is too big a man to hide in Watson’s suitcase when he leaves. He can wipe away tears with his $ 66 million contract.
36 Jack Easterby, vice president of football operations for Texans
Well, Jack, they will certainly remember you.
37 Cal McNair
The Texan owner should probably be at the top of this list, although he is not exactly ranked. Things don’t change much for homeowners, however, since it takes a lot more than a disgruntled generation defender to put their management at risk. That’s the problem here – that’s why a new head coach would not shake Watson’s desire to leave.
38 JJ Watt
Will the other Texan star be the next to leave after Watson? Watt has another year on the contract, but no money left, so if he’s motivated to leave, he probably can.
39 People using Photoshop to put players on T-shirts from other teams, 40. People who track private flights to predict NFL eventsand 41. People who use big deals to tweet “What Offseason?!?!?”
Bad for Houston, great for content.
42 Trevor Lawrence
The presumptive does not. A general choice for Jaguars could emerge as AFC South’s best defender immediately, but he is relegated to being Clemson’s second most wanted defender this season.
43 Jerry Jones
Whatever happens between Dak Prescott and the Cowboys during contract negotiations, Jones’ team has consolidated its status as the least dysfunctional team in the state of Texas. However, knowing Jones, maybe giving up any spotlight is a bad thing?
44 Penei Sewell
A Watson switch has the potential to change how many needy defender teams are at the top of the draft, which can have a significant impact on Sewell, the draft consensus, the top striker.
45 Reddit Merchants
The only beings more motivated to see a deal happen than Watson and his team are those trying to buy more GameStop shares.
46 Bryan Anger and 47. Ka’imi Fairbairn
The Texan bettor and kicker may face busy seasons in 2021.
48 Brandin Cooks, 49. Will Fuller, and 50 Randall Cobb
A Watson deal is clearly bad news for Houston receivers. Fuller is a free agent, so at least he has an escape route.
51 Christian McCaffrey
The Panthers running back, like any high-level player on a team that could logically end Watson, has to feel at odds. On the one hand, a player like McCaffrey could benefit greatly from playing with him. On the other hand, it is possible that they end up being part of a commercial package.
52 Allen Robinson
Any team that acquires Watson will hope to win immediately. If they have the resources, the team is likely to be a player for high profile free agents like Bears wide receiver Robinson, who would certainly love to play with a quarterback like Watson.
53 Bill Belichick
Prove I’m wrong. He’s always in the mix.