:-)
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Have to wonder why Watson would sign a deal with Houston like its being reported he wants to do? I get that he is going to get a ton of money, but why?

If that were me I’d decline. I can’t think of many worse run franchises than the Texans recently. Trading Hopkins should have been a fireable offense.

Texans have zero leverage here. DeShaun needs to demand Bob gets axed or he won’t sign. What the hell are they gonna do? Go down the QB merry go round with shit QB’s again?

Watson is heading down the path of Aaron Rodgers post SB win. Good team but does not do enough to win in January.

To be honest, I don’t know how Watson sleeps at night. If Mahomes didn’t declare when he did, he would probably be where Pat is. Goes back to the Barkley/Jordan era. Barkley was so close but Michael denied him glory.

Same will happen to DeShaun.
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From what I've read he only wants a 3 year deal so he can get another big deal
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I'd try and hit the open market if I was a franchise-ish QB and didn't like the team or situation i was drafted into.

The bidding war would be insane and you'd have your pick of the litter.
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Watson doesn't have quite as much leverage.

His 5th year option is going to be worth roughly $8 million less than Mahomes was because he was outside of the top 10 picks. That's not an insignificant amount.

So if the Texans do that and tag him twice thereafter, he's going into the market at 29 years old and probably off several years where a lack of weapons (and a style that gets him hit a LOT) could potentially have taken some shine off him.

I'm not sure I'd do it were I him either, but I can see his POV. Get your 4 year deal now that covers your 5th year option and 2 tag years, give up 1 year of FA in the process to convince the Texans to deal, lock in life-changing money and then when you hit the market at 30 instead of 31, you're probably not in that much different a position than you would've been.

You take a great deal of risk off the table and in the process only sacrifice a little ceiling.
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I feel like Watson is in general overrated as a QB, largely due to his college success and any failures are just shrugged off as O’Brien’s fault. He was basically Dak last season both in stats and inconsistent play.
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Honestly, it sucks for him. He's going to get a chance to maximize his money with the Texans but probably won't ever have a chance at winning a championship.
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And where would you suggest he go where his odds of winning a championship are measurably improved?

Everyone's just hoping to get lucky right about now.

Outside of San Francisco, I don't see a roster that's suddenly orders of magnitude more likely to win a championship if they add Deshaun Watson. Oh sure, most of them would be quite a bit better, but they're still just hoping to get lucky.

Patrick Mahomes has this league by the nesmonds and the only way that will change is if someone like Burrows or Lawrence is truly spectacular. Watson is good - but he isn't that kind of guy.
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Cowboys

If Jerry truly wanted Dak he’d have signed him, but he didn’t. Watson is a much better QB and could have a chance with those weapons.
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Cowboys almost certainly wouldn't be able to pay him. I feel like they've shot their wads and they don't have the organizational buy in to get guys to take team friendly deals to allow them to go outside the organization at QB.

I could be wrong there. And yes, I think Watson is a better QB and would thrive with those weapons. but again, you're talking about 4 years from now. That's when Watson will have any level of freedom.

We can't talk about where they'd be today - we have to talk about 4 years from now as he's under contract this year and next (5th year option) and WILL be tagged twice.

I think the 9ers have a young core of players that will age nicely and a sound organizational structure. The 'boys? Hmmm.....not sure I see it.
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Agree with all of this.

I think this San Fran core will be lucky to win a title though. If you don’t have an elite level QB, you have to be extremely fortunate to win it all.

You can’t have major injuries and your window is normally limited. It’s hard to keep everyone, and replenish the talent that you do lose. You’re normally good enough to contend, but not quite good enough to take it all. That also means you don’t get the high draft picks that you need to get guys like Bosa.
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Sure, but that’s why I specifically cited SF.

Give them a top 5 quarterback with that core and they win the NFC more often than they don’t. Get there 4 times in a 6 year span and your gonna win at least one.

That’s the only slam dunk answer I can see
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Wasn't really my point. Unfortunately, his "crossroads" so to speak just happens to be coming at the absolutely wrong time for him. It's the curse of playing reasonably well for a shit regime. They're not going to just let him walk away so he really can't do anything but let them pay him.
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Not an unfair analysis. Deshaun seems to get a pass where other QBs get ripped for similar flaws. He had a 24-0 lead in the playoffs and lost by 20. That is not entirely the fault of O’Brien. Deshaun had plenty of chances on the field to keep that game competitive in the 2nd half.
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Even if Burrow and/or Lawrence are great, they're not going to be in Patrick's class, most likely. Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta.
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