According to a recently proposed trade idea from the Sun-Sentinel , the Miami Dolphins could acquire disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans for a package featuring their rookie signal-caller, Tua Tagovailoa, and a pair of future first-round draft selections.
As explained on Sunday by the outlet’s Omar Kelly, the Dolphins have two main options as they prepare for the 2021 season. The first would be to stick with Tagovailoa behind center and ideally surround him with two of his former Alabama Crimson Tide teammates — wide receiver DeVonta Smith and running back Najee Harris — by selecting them in this year’s draft. The second would be to trade for Watson, who has yet to be traded by the Texans after weeks of speculation regarding his future in Houston.
According to Kelly, the Dolphins could make the hypothetical deal happen by offering Tagovailoa along with this year’s No. 3 overall pick and the team’s 2022 first-rounder to the Texans in exchange for Watson. The transaction, if it becomes a reality, would give Miami a proven star quarterback who has been named to three Pro Bowls since Houston drafted him in the first round in 2017.
The theoretical move would initially be a cost-effective one for the Dolphins due to the fact Watson will be making $10.54 million in the 2021 campaign, thus allowing the organization to address its other weaknesses and make more moves in the coming offseason. However, the Sun-Sentinel writer warned that the Dolphins would end up in “salary-cap jail” for the next few seasons afterward, given how the 25-year-old signal-caller signed a lucrative contract extension that will only take effect in the 2022 campaign, as noted by USA Today .
“Watson’s bloated salary in the coming years would make it a challenge to keep upcoming free agents like tight end Mike Gesicki and linebacker Jerome Baker, or Christian Wilkins in 2023. But the financial strain of carrying Watson’s fully guaranteed $35 million salary in 2022, and $20 million in base salary and a $17 million roster bonus due in 2023 is not unmanageable.”
Considering how the Dolphins could hypothetically cope with the burden of Watson’s extension if they make the right personnel moves going forward, Kelly added that his potential arrival in Miami could make the city the “hottest” destination for would-be free agents.
Despite the interesting possibilities that may loom if Watson is moved to the Dolphins or any other team, recent reports have suggested that the fourth-year pro might have no choice but to stick it out in Houston. Earlier this week, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that newly hired Texans general manager Nick Caserio has no plans of honoring Watson’s trade demands because of how he has had a “great impact” on the organization.