The relationship between Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans hasn’t been great at all since the end of the regular season, and every major media national outlet has given an opinion on if Watson will demand a trade or what a trade package will be.
It seems like everyone who knows someone within the Houston Texans organization has a source that is close to Deshaun Watson, but Watson himself has not yet said in a public platform that he no longer wants to be the starting quarterback of the Houston Texans.
On Tuesday, Deshaun Watson tweeted about “being patient,” and if that concerns his current thoughts about being with the Texans, that at least is a positive in what has been a negative offseason to date.
When Nick Caserio was hired as the general manager of the Texans earlier this month, that is when things seemed to “hit the fan,” so to speak. It does seem like even if Jack Easterby is staying with the franchise, Caserio could be able to make Deshaun Watson happier than he seems to be if he doesn’t mess up the head coach hire.
If the Texans hire the head coach that Deshaun Watson favors, all of this offseason drama could disappear, and the new era of Houston Texans football can include Watson. If the Texans make the incorrect hire for their next head coach, then who knows what the quarterback situation will be.
Caserio might have the most important decision in Houston Texans history to make because it will possibly determine if Deshaun Watson wants to stay with the franchise or request a trade to play elsewhere in 2021.
Deshaun Watson reason to stay No. 4: Duo with Cooks could be special
When Will Fuller was suspended for the final six games of the 2020 season, the number of Brandin Cooks was the focus of the offense, and the duo of him and Deshaun Watson began to shine within the Texans offense.
Cooks, who just completed his first season with the Texans and his seventh overall season in the NFL, played in 15 of 16 regular-season games, and in those game he totaled 1,150 yards on 81 receptions. Cooks averaged 14.2 yards per reception in ‘20 and scored six touchdowns.
Fifty-two of his receptions went for a first down, and with Watson as his quarterback, Cooks caught 20 passes of 20-plus yards and had three receptions of 40-plus yards.
Once Fuller was suspended, Cooks missed just one game (Week 14), but the final two games of the 2020 season are where the potential of Deshaun Watson-to-Cooks really broke out into what could be, as in Week 16 Cooks caught seven passes for 141 yards and one touchdown. In the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Cooks averaged 20.1 yards per reception and had a 50-yard reception.
Then in the regular-season finale, against a Tennessee Titans team that was fighting for a division championship, Cooks had 11 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Cooks averaged 15.1 yards per reception in the Week 17 game, but he did have a best reception of 38 yards in what was a 41-38 Texans loss.
Cooks had one other game this past season for 100-plus yards, and that was in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the first win of the season for Houston. In the first game of the post-Bill O’Brien era, Cooks totaled eight receptions for 161 yards and one touchdown, averaging 20.1 ypr.
Those three games alone show just how special the Deshaun Watson and Cooks duo can become, and it would be a shame if it lasted just one season.
Deshaun Watson reason to stay No. 3: He’s loved by the fans
This might not be the most important reason for Deshaun Watson to stay with the Houston Texans, but it deserves to be on the list. No matter what team Watson plays for in 2021, he’ll be loved and cheered by the fan base of that team. Staying with the Texans would mean more because fans of the team have waited for a player with his talent basically since the inception of the franchise in 2002.
When Watson was drafted by the Texans in 2017 as the 12th overall selection, the Houston Texans moved up in the draft to select him, and other than drafting J.J. Watt in the first round, and DeAndre Hopkins, no other selection in Texans history is even as close to important than when Deshaun Watson’s name was written on the draft card.
Some fans of the Texans even marched in support for Watson on Monday, many have made it very clear they will no longer cheer for the team if Watson is traded, and no quarterback that has ever worn a Texans helmet has been admired and supported as much as Deshaun Watson has since joining the franchise.
Watson was the NFL’s leading passer this past season, and every fan of the Texans knows how important he is to the team. Imagine how poor the 2020 season would have been without Watson under center. That is why fans love Watson so much … they respect his talent level and know he’s a great person on and off the field. Watson is a quarterback Texans fans are proud to have on their favorite team.
Deshaun Watson Reason to stay No. 2: One Name — Laremy Tunsil
Not many teams in the NFL have a left tackle as good as the one who resides with the Houston Texans. His name is Laremy Tunsil, and he’s under contract with the Texans for the foreseeable future.
Deshaun Watson must know how special of a player Laremy Tunsil is, and he also probably knows that if he chooses to to be trades to a team like the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins, they won’t have a left tackle as talented as Tunsil. Heck, even some of the best teams in the league don’t have a left tackle as skilled a Tunsil is.
In 2020, Tunsil played in 14 games of the 16-game schedule, and in those games he played in 83 percent of the offensive snaps, or 817 plays of protecting the blind side of Deshaun Watson. Tunsil also had just seven penalties all season, cutting that number down by 10 from the previous season, and the left tackle allowed just two sacks all season.
Pro Football Focus gave Tunsil a grade of 75.4 for his play this past season, and in allowing only two sacks in 817 plays in ’20, Deshaun Watson has to have that in the back of his mind when deciding if he wants to stay in Houston.
Yes, the front office of the Hosuton Texans has to be frustrating to Deshaun Watson, but it isn’t every day that he’ll have the opportunity to play with a two-time Pro Bowl selection as his left guard. Tunsil has also been selected as an All-Pro on the Sporting News list in 2019 when he earned first-team honors.
Not knowing what Deshaun Watson is thinking at this point in time, if I were him I’d be putting a lot of the decision-making on having the chance to have a player like Tunsil protecting my blind side in the NFL, because a player like Tunsil is tough to replace.
Deshaun Watson Reason to stay No. 1: Decision on next head coach
If the Houston Texans want to make Deshaun Watson happy, then they must take his input on who they choose to be their next head coach, as Watson will be working closely with whomever will be selected to that position.
My choice would be current Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, as he’s had the chance to learn under Andy Reid, and he’s also coached one of the most talented players in all of the NFL, Patrick Mahomes.
Bieniemy is a Super Bowl champion offensive coordinator, and he seems to be a very talented coach, as one doesn’t have that kind of success just handed to them. Bieniemy would bring some fresh air to the Texans, and there is no way Deshaun Watson wouldn’t be happy with this possible hire, right?
This week, general manager Nick Caserio interviewed Bieniemy via Zoom, and this is just my opinion: if the Texans pass on Bieniemy and don’t make him their next head coach, they are complete fools.
Bieniemy and Watson together would be exciting to watch, and with Deshaun Watson entering the prime years of his career, having an offensive-minded coach like Bieniemy, who has had success as an OC, would make the NFL passing leader that much more exciting for future seasons.
Also if Tim Kelly is kept on the staff with Watson that would be fine too, but Bieniemy needs to become the next head coach of the Texans, and that also would be a top reason for Deshaun Watson to stay with the Texans if it were to happen.