Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson's future in Houston remains unclear, and if any NFL team is going to acquire him via trade this offseason, it must prepare to meet a very steep asking price.
John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweeted the asking price for Watson over the weekend
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Wowza.
In all seriousness, this asking price isn't surprising at all when you consider Watson's talent, age and the great importance of the position he plays.
Curran: Stafford nixed New England as a trade destination
Watson is coming off his best pro season yet. He set career highs in 2020 with a 70.2 completion percentage, 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns, along with a career-low seven interceptions.
New England Patriots
The 25-year-old quarterback reportedly has requested a trade, so this story should dominate the offseason until something happens.
The New York Jets, who McClain mentioned in the above tweet, are one potential destination for Watson being speculated.
The Jets could dangle 2018 first-round pick Sam Darnold in a potential package, which would give Houston another young quarterback to build around. New York hasn't been very successful drafting in the first round over the last several years, so maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing for them to mortgage a large portion of their future to get Watson.
The Jets getting Watson would be a bad scenario for the New England Patriots, who missed out on a Matthew Stafford trade and still don't have a viable quarterback for 2021 and beyond.
The Miami Dolphins are another potential destination for Watson, and that would also be bad for the Patriots as they try to reclaim their past dominance in the AFC East. The Dolphins have the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and 2020 first-round QB Tua Tagovailoa to use in any trade, and those are two prime assets.
The Texans, if they are actually going to trade Watson, must get a Herschel Walker-type haul for him. You can't trade one of the league's best quarterbacks early in his prime and fail to get multiple first-rounders at the absolute minimum.