Detail regarding Houston Texans' asking price for Deshaun Watson is revealed
Every team that needs a quarterback wants Deshaun Watson. But it's a different story when it comes to actually footing the bill for him. That's mostly because of Watson's impending legal situation, which essentially prevents a trade from happening. Until his legal situation is cleared up, of course. Then, depending on what happens, teams will […]
Every team that needs a quarterback wants Deshaun Watson. But it's a different story when it comes to actually footing the bill for him.
That's mostly because of Watson's impending legal situation, which essentially prevents a trade from happening. Until his legal situation is cleared up, of course. Then, depending on what happens, teams will finally be able to properly gauge his trade value.
Part of gauging his true trade value is figuring out how much he'll cost, which is another reason why teams could have trouble acquiring Watson via trade. Per Sports Illustrated's All Seahawks reporter Corbin K. Smith, Houston Texans general manager Caserio wants at least three first-round picks for Watson.
It's unclear how deep Smith is tied into the Texans organization, but the asking price tracks back to early 2021 when national reporters said the Texans wanted three first-round picks for Watson in a potential trade. Smith has the blue checkmark, which is a good sign, but we've seen the blue checkmarks be wrong on several occasions before.
Regardless, three first-round picks is a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. Sure, the Steelers would get a young, generational talent in Watson, but with a trade likely comes more requirements on Houston's end. The three first-rounders are likely just a starting point.
And, the Steelers will have to take on Watson's salary if they were to acquire him in a trade. As it stands, Watson is set to make $35 million in base salary in 2022, $20 million in 2023 (plus a $17 million roster bonus), and then $32 million in 2024 and 2025. Those numbers can be manipulated to where it lowers Watson's cap hit, but that's still a big contract to take on, at the end of the day.
The deciding factor will be whether or not the Steelers believe themselves to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Pittsburgh made the playoffs last year, but it was more by default, than anything. Regardless, a quarterback like Watson can mask a lot of deficiencies, which is the main reason why the Texans want so much in the trade.
If the Steelers believe he makes them an automatic contender, then it's well worth the trade. But if they have any opposite notion, it's probably best to avoid it, altogether.
Featured image via Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
