If Deshaun Watson does indeed want out of Houston, Richard Sherman has an idea of where the Texans' star quarterback should want to be traded.
But it's not the 49ers.
"If I was Deshaun, I would get out of there as quickly as possible. I'd head to New York," Sherman told Cris Collinsworth and George Chahrouri on "The Cris Collinsworth Podcast." "The Jets, it would be the most beautiful (situation). A decent offensive line. They'd have to find threats. They'd have to find some offensive weapons. But I think there would be a lot more people excited to be there.
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"I think the free agency market this year is going to be oversaturated because of the salary cap, but that's what I would do."
Sherman, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent, has been open about the fact that his time with the 49ers likely is over. He has gushed about former 49ers defensive coordinator and new Jets head coach Robert Saleh at every turn, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Sherman head to New York to play for Saleh.
Saleh has some big decisions to make as the Jets' head coach. New York owns the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur reportedly see "untapped potential" in the USC product. If the Jets opt to keep Darnold as their starting quarterback, that will have a ripple effect on the NFL draft and could impact how the 49ers address their future under center.
Watson's reported unhappiness with the Texans throws an added wrinkle into Saleh's first offseason at the helm of a franchise. If Watson does indeed want to be traded, the Jets -- who own two first-round picks in the 2021 draft and have Darnold -- are one of the teams with the capital needed to make a swing for the 25-year-old star.
San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers will be connected to any and all quarterbacks this offseason. While conventional wisdom suggests head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will run it back with a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo, making a play for Watson can't be discounted. San Francisco has a roster that is built to win, and adding a quarterback of Watson's caliber would place them atop the NFC pecking order for the foreseeable future.
Watson would be the perfect piece for Saleh to build a title-contending team around in New York. Expect the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and others to be in the mix as well should Watson force the Texans' hand.
The Jets could be an attractive landing spot for Watson, but the 49ers have something the Jets can't offer Watson: Shanahan and a loaded offensive arsenal that will have him playing for Super Bowl titles immediately.