NFL Trade Rumors: Could the Pittsburgh Steelers end up with Deshaun Watson in 2022?
watson" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Deshaun Watson may be coming off a 4-12 season with months of sexual assault allegations against his name, but when has that ever scuppered a quarterback's chances of making a move in the NFL?
A number of teams reportedly want the star quarterback in their ranks and Watson will likely have a job once his legal issues are dealt with.
Unfortunately for Watson, it looks like he will have to wait until 2022 to get his next snap. However, the wait could end up benefiting him in the long run. In this case, he could potentially land in a perfect situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's why Pittsburgh would be a great landing spot for Deshaun Watson and how the timing lines up as timing is everything.
Deshaun Watson's long wait for a move
Deshaun Watson has wanted out of Houston since Christmas was still fresh and the ground was blanketed with snow in half the country. Unfortunately for Watson, due to the 20-plus lawsuits, the quarterback's future has been in purgatory for all of 2021. Until there is an indictment and a trial, no team knows what they're buying in Watson.
Texans officially ruled out QB Deshaun Watson for Sunday’s opener vs Jacksonville. He was listed on injury report as “not injury related.”
Until teams get a better idea of how which way Watson's legal issues will go, they will be hesitant to make any moves for the quarterback. Most expect to see some sort of timeline by the start of the Super Bowl. Once those cards are on the table, teams can start to wrap their minds around bringing Watson in. Put simply, all signs point to an interesting March next year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers solution
While Watson deals with his own problems in Texas, the Steelers are facing their own set of issues in Pennsylvania. The Steelers have a Super Bowl-ready defense and a rapidly maturing offense. However, their quarterback is on his last legs. Ben Roethlisberger is 39 years old and has openly talked about retirement over the last couple of seasons.
Unless it's Tom Brady, basically every other quarterback sees 40 years old as the benchmark for Father Time to come calling. Ben Roethlisberger is playing on a one-year deal that expires at the end of the season. In 2022, the Steelers are very likely to be without a quarterback.
Timing is everything
Once Big Ben rides off into the sunset, the Steelers will be on the lookout for a quarterback who can take advantage of their Super Bowl-caliber roster. Deshaun Watson will be looking for a new home as well. Watson has playoff experience and his stats are, let's say, more than promising. A match between Watson and the Steelers could extend a Super Bowl window from this year through the next three or four.
After that stretch, the Steelers will have a solid roster to play top-tier football for a decade or longer. The Steelers are a winning organization and know what it takes to stay at the top. Before they pull the trigger on a move for Watson, though, Houston and Pittsburgh will hold their cards close to the chest until after the season, which is when Watson is set to be deposed in court.