Deshan Watson's immediate future is in the balance. The Miami Dolphins may be the team that paints a clear picture.
According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo!, Miami has emerged as the forefront of business discussions for Watson! Play. The Houston Texans still want a king's ransom for Watson, demanding three first-round picks and two second-round picks in negotiations with any team. The Dolphins weren't the only team interested in Watson, as the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles reportedly inquired about the Pro Bowl quarterback.
The Panthers and Eagles may be out of the race. CBS Sports senior NFL writer Jonathan Jones said the Panthers are not pursuing Watson "at this time," which could change pending the results of the lawsuits against Watson. The Eagles haven't named Jalen Harts their starting quarterback—even though they've taken all first team reps in every practice this season. Philadelphia traded a conditional sixth-round pick for Gardner Minshaw on Saturday, though Minshaw added depth to the quarterback room instead of competing with the Hurts for the starting job.
Miami currently has Tua Tagovailoa as its starting quarterback. If the Dolphins are interested in Watson, the number 5 overall pick in the 2020 draft could be used as a trade chip instead of discarding a higher draft pick. Miami has a first-round pick (from the San Francisco 49ers) and second-round picks in the 2022 draft - along with two first-round picks (one from the 49ers) in the 2023 draft.
The Texans have Tyrod Taylor as their starter while Watson remains on their roster. Watson is facing 22 civil charges alleging sexual misconduct during a massage session. Those matters are ongoing, making it difficult for the league and the Texans to take any action regarding a possible suspension or trade. Watson has not been placed on the commissioner's exemption list because the league has not concluded that a major violation has occurred. Watson has participated in different portions of practice throughout the preseason, but his day comes to an end once the 11-on-11 practice begins. He is the fourth quarterback for the Texans while the team awaits a proposal on his future.
Watson's football resume is complete for a quarterback who has just turned 25. He is the only player in NFL history to record consecutive seasons with more than 25 passing touchdowns and 5-plus rushing touchdowns. Watson joined Steve Young (1994, 1998) as the only quarterback in NFL history to hold more than one season. He is the first player in NFL history to exceed 10,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards in his first 40 career games and the first player in league history to record more than 70 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns in his first 40 games. Huh.
Watson led the NFL in 2020 in passing yards (4,823) and yards per attempt (8.9). He owns a career passer rating of 104.5, surpassing only Patrick Mahomes for the highest in NFL history.