NFL Trade Rumors: 3 reasons why the Pittsburgh Steelers should trade for QB Deshaun Watson
The Pittsburgh Steelers' injury list seems to grow by the day, with injuries in both the offense and defense. On Tuesday afternoon, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin saw another player added to that list: quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger was hit 11 times on Sunday in the Steelers' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. One of those hits caused a left pectoral injury that has made his status for this weekend questionable.
But it begs the question about the Steelers' ongoing backup quarterback situation. Mason Rudolph is second on the depth chart, followed by Dwayne Haskins. Josh Dobbs is currently on the injured reserve list.
If Roethlisberger is unable to start, it should be Rudolph who gets the nod, simply because of his previous experience of starting for the Steelers. Haskins would likely be activated, along with a second-string too.
Meanwhile, with quarterback Deshaun Watson looking for a trade out of Houston, is it the perfect opportunity for the Steelers to make a trade? Here are three reasons why the Steelers should consider acquiring Watson:
For the second straight week, Texans have ruled out QB Deshaun Watson for "not injury related" reasons.
#1 The Steelers need to plan for the future
Ben Roethlisberger restructured his contract this offseason for what will likely be his final NFL season.
The Steelers saw a good sample size from both Rudolph and Haskins this preseason. While there were some good moments for each quarterback, would either of them be ready to be the starting quarterback when Roethlisberger retires?
Meanwhile, Watson is a reliable option at quarterback. He is just 26, so whichever team makes a trade for him will have a quarterback for the future.
Ben Roethlisberger says he doesn’t know how the injury happened - just that it was early in the game. Feels pain when he reaches, or get up off the ground. Says it bothered him during the game.
#2 Deshaun Watson's passing/rushing ability
Deshaun Watson has a big arm that allows him to get the ball downfield. In 2020, Watson hit a career-high 4,823 passing yards and 33 touchdowns with a career-low seven interceptions. These are the numbers a team would want with a receiver core like the one the Steelers possess.
Watson is also mobile, rushing for 444 yards and three touchdowns last season. With a young offensive line and the need to make quick decisions, a mobile quarterback would be a great asset to have.
#3 Deshaun Watson's experience
Not only does Deshaun Watson have three full seasons of starting experience, he also has postseason experience. Watson has played three career postseason games with the Texans thus far. He has a postseason passer rating of 91 and a regular-season passing rating of 104.5.