Should the Seahawks trade for Deshaun Watson to replace Russell Wilson?
The Seattle Seahawks decided to hit the reset button by trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. They also released Bobby Wagner, ending an era in Seattle.
But this does not mean the team has to go through a massive rebuild. In fact, it's possible they wanted a younger signal-caller in place. Could that player be Deshaun Watson?
Former Seattle star Richard Sherman seems to think the team is gearing up to make the Houston Texans an offer for their quarterback.
"The trade pieces they received make me more curious than anything because I don't think...everybody's like, 'Oh, are they gonna, are they gonna put Geno out there, or are they gonna put Drew Lock out there?' No, they're not. They're not. They're not nervous. They're setting themselves up to be in the sweepstakes for Deshaun Watson. I think that these pieces that they're putting together are the pieces that they're going to need to work with the Houston Texans to get Deshaun Watson. I think that Pete will assume the best and think that Deshaun's legal issues will get resolved in the near future before the draft."
Richard Sherman on #Seahawks - #Broncos trade involving Russell Wilson:
"… They’re (Seahawks) setting themselves up to be in the sweepstakes for Deshaun Watson …"
(Credit: @PFF )
@RSherman_25 https://t.co/YbgE48nqzu
Of course, there is no guarantee the team can land Watson. They will be one of several organizations in the sweepstakes. However, the draft capital they got from the Broncos will go a long way in helping them stand out.
But should they even consider Watson in the first place?
Seahawks have nothing to lose by pursuing Deshaun Watson
The answer is yes. They should pursue this option. However, it comes with an obvious caveat. The Seahawks and the rest of the NFL have to make sure Watson is cleared legally before discussing a deal. Friday is when teams will know more about his situation.
The district attorney investigating Deshaun Watson plans to present her case to a grand jury on Friday – the same day as Watson's civil deposition.
Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, told me a request to delay the deposition until Monday was denied, so Watson will plead the fifth.
So let's say he is cleared and ready to make a return. The Seahawks have an obvious need at quarterback and still have some weapons on offense around the quarterback position. That is important, given the no-trade clause Watson has to waive before a deal can be made.
Seattle would likely have to give up three first-round picks for Watson. Yet they just added two from Denver and would be getting a quarterback under contract through the 2025 season. So this is not a short-term commitment.
Let's consider the alternatives at the moment. Seattle has Drew Lock and Jacob Eason on the roster, while Geno Smith hits free agency. None of those three inspire much confidence in fans.
The Seahawks could try to get a player like Jimmy Garoppolo, but they will also have competition there. So trying to get Watson, who is younger and better, makes sense as well.
The only question is how the organization feels about his legal situation and the sexual harassment claims against him. That is true for any team pursuing Watson, as a public relations disaster could be in store. However, if he is cleared, that does change the situation.
Watson is left as the top quarterback available in the trade market now that Wilson and Aaron Rodgers have made their decisions known. All teams have to wait on Watson's legal situation, yet Seattle must ensure they don't wait too long once more clarity is given. That could lead to a problem where they face a drastic drop-off in talent at quarterback in 2022.
Also Read: 3 potential landing spots for former Seahawks star Bobby Wagner