NFL Rumors: Jets Could Make Texans ‘An Offer They Can’t Refuse’ For Deshaun Watson

The New York Jets could have a strategy to land Deshaun Watson that includes giving the team an unbeatable offer, the New York Post speculated.

Watson has reportedly asked the Houston Texans for a trade after a falling out with the front office over the direction of the franchise and its recent hires. While a number of teams have been connected to him, columnist Steve Serby speculated the Jets may be able to jump to the front of the pack with a two-pronged approach that includes a massive offer and a pitch to Watson on the direction of the franchise.

As the report noted, Jets general manager Joe Douglas has the ability to build a competitive roster with a strong culture around Watson.

“Douglas has $63,475,814 in cap space, according to overthecap.com, and he will be a player in the free-agent market for a No. 1 receiver (Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin) to team with Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder. He’ll find him Playmakers and Protectors,” Serby wrote, noting the Jets already have a strong tackle in Mekhi Becton to protect Watson.

The price would likely be high, but the Jets already have the No. 2 overall pick and could likely recoup some draft picks if they were to ship away Sam Darnold to one of the other teams looking for a quarterback. Serby speculated it would take a minimum of three first-round picks to seal the deal, but this year’s first-round selection alone could be incredibly valuable given the number of highly rated quarterbacks in this year’s class. Houston would have the ability to take a player who could turn into a franchise signal caller, one who would come on a rookie contract, which would allow the front office to build around them.

Others have joined in pegging the Jets as a likely trade partner for the Texans. Josh Edwards of CBS Sports also predicted the club will part ways with Darnold after three uneven seasons, using their top draft pick to acquire Watson instead.

But there is likely to be some high competition, with a number of other teams motivated to land the Pro Bowl quarterback, including some who could make strong offers. The Miami Dolphins, AFC East rival of the Jets, have also been named as a potential landing spot for Watson and also have a high draft pick that actually came from Houston as part of last year’s trade for Laremy Tunsil.