The Deshaun Watson Discussion Thread

[Jrblaha]

Well, to be fair, he hasn’t missed any time (to date) as a result of the accusations. He has missed this season due to contract/team disputes. Theoretically, the team can activate and play him any time they want, but they likely won’t. I guess you could make the argument that the NFL would put him on the Commissioner Exempt List if they intended to play him. But officially he hasn’t missed any time due to the accusations yet.

So it’s your belief that if his legal issues were resolved with no open cases, he’d still be on the Texans, untraded, and not playing? I’d say that’s pretty unlikely. And even if it was true (again imo it’s not), he’s still missing time, and the bottom line remains the same - he’s missing 1-2 years of football.

Never said that’s my belief. Just stating the facts. He could play tomorrow (and could have been playing the whole season) had the Texans and Watson wanted him to play. Of course, that would be assuming he doesn’t get placed on the Exempt list.

Sure, if the accusations were taken out of the equation, it would be easier for him to get traded for sure. Clearly. You would have to be an idiot to think that his potential baggage doesn’t affect his trade value.

But he hasn’t been cut (like Ruggs), and he hasn’t been out on the Exempt list (like AP). Just seems like it’s status quo until the situation is settled in court. So why wouldn’t he be able to play right now? If he had been traded, and landed on a team that intended to play him, would they have put him on the exempt list?

The most recent response from the commissioner was that he would not be placed on the exempt list if he was traded (and no new movement on the cases). Thus to the best of our knowledge (or at least to the best of mine lol), him not playing is due to him not being traded, which (imo) was because his value changes due to his accusations. It’s possibly he never even plays again (that seems unlikely tho). Most likely scenario is that this drags out yet again in 2022, and he plays on a different team 2022 or 2023.

[Jrblaha]

Problem is, this is even worse.

This thread started in reaction to contract problems, not his accusations. Now he’s missing time due to the former. He’s bound to *also* miss some time from the latter as well.

Agreed

[abloom]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... -dolphins/


Reportedly 18/22 plaintiffs were ready to settle at trade deadline and Carolina was willing to make a trade without the settlement conditions. We'll see what happens with the cases (specifically criminal one if any) in off season but I think it's fairly likely Watson is on a new team and playing in 2022.

[Orenthal Shames]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... -dolphins/


Reportedly 18/22 plaintiffs were ready to settle at trade deadline and Carolina was willing to make a trade without the settlement conditions. We'll see what happens with the cases (specifically criminal one if any) in off season but I think it's fairly likely Watson is on a new team and playing in 2022.

Agreed. The buy-low window is closing.

[Orenthal Shames]

An in-depth thread on Watson's situation:

https://twitter.com/DrewFBGAuctions/sta ... nACsw&s=19

[Pullo Vision]

Matthew Berry after talking with NFL people at the Combine-

One source told me “They are really going to open up the offense. Go five wide. Pass a lot. This is going to be Deshaun Watson's offense, not Nick Chubb's. They will pass a lot more than folks expect.”

I was told to go look at the Browns-Steelers game from Week 18. In that game, the opening kickoff temperature was in the 30's. Cold as hell and the Over/Under was 39.5. People expected a low scoring, cold weather, typical AFC North game. Instead, even as cold and windy as the conditions were, Cleveland threw it 29 times while Nick Chubb ran it 12 times in a 28-14 loss for the Browns. Yes, they were down, but my source said that will be much closer to the norm for Cleveland next year. Tons of passing attempts for Watson (likely closer to 40 a game in reasonable weather) with like 12 rushing attempts for Chubb and maybe a few touches for Jerome Ford.

Lots of ways to look at this and all the players that'd have their values affected, but spreading it 40 times a game would spike Watson's value.

[Cameron Giles]

Matthew Berry after talking with NFL people at the Combine-

One source told me “They are really going to open up the offense. Go five wide. Pass a lot. This is going to be Deshaun Watson's offense, not Nick Chubb's. They will pass a lot more than folks expect.”

I was told to go look at the Browns-Steelers game from Week 18. In that game, the opening kickoff temperature was in the 30's. Cold as hell and the Over/Under was 39.5. People expected a low scoring, cold weather, typical AFC North game. Instead, even as cold and windy as the conditions were, Cleveland threw it 29 times while Nick Chubb ran it 12 times in a 28-14 loss for the Browns. Yes, they were down, but my source said that will be much closer to the norm for Cleveland next year. Tons of passing attempts for Watson (likely closer to 40 a game in reasonable weather) with like 12 rushing attempts for Chubb and maybe a few touches for Jerome Ford.

Lots of ways to look at this and all the players that'd have their values affected, but spreading it 40 times a game would spike Watson's value.

Berry's Combine Rumors usually have had quite a few nuggets that come to fruition.

It's self-explanatory though. You don't fully guarantee a $230M+ contract to a QB to hand the ball off to a RB 20+ times. They have to justify the contract and he's still a big-time talent at QB that you need to be a high volume playmaker.

[Ice]

Matthew Berry after talking with NFL people at the Combine-

One source told me “They are really going to open up the offense. Go five wide. Pass a lot. This is going to be Deshaun Watson's offense, not Nick Chubb's. They will pass a lot more than folks expect.”

I was told to go look at the Browns-Steelers game from Week 18. In that game, the opening kickoff temperature was in the 30's. Cold as hell and the Over/Under was 39.5. People expected a low scoring, cold weather, typical AFC North game. Instead, even as cold and windy as the conditions were, Cleveland threw it 29 times while Nick Chubb ran it 12 times in a 28-14 loss for the Browns. Yes, they were down, but my source said that will be much closer to the norm for Cleveland next year. Tons of passing attempts for Watson (likely closer to 40 a game in reasonable weather) with like 12 rushing attempts for Chubb and maybe a few touches for Jerome Ford.

Lots of ways to look at this and all the players that'd have their values affected, but spreading it 40 times a game would spike Watson's value.

Berry's Combine Rumors usually have had quite a few nuggets that come to fruition.

It's self-explanatory though. You don't fully guarantee a $230M+ contract to a QB to hand the ball off to a RB 20+ times. They have to justify the contract and he's still a big-time talent at QB that you need to be a high volume playmaker.

Is he though? Seems to me Jacoby Brissett out played him by a lot last season in pretty much every category.

I do expect improvement but he was was around 30th as a QB rank last season when he played.

[Shankopotamus]

Yeah, I’m pretty nervous about him returning to a top 5 type QB. It’s not like he wasn’t allowed to throw a football for the duration he was out. Brissett moved the offense much better iirc.

[Bronco Billy]

Matthew Berry after talking with NFL people at the Combine-

One source told me “They are really going to open up the offense. Go five wide. Pass a lot. This is going to be Deshaun Watson's offense, not Nick Chubb's. They will pass a lot more than folks expect.”

I was told to go look at the Browns-Steelers game from Week 18. In that game, the opening kickoff temperature was in the 30's. Cold as hell and the Over/Under was 39.5. People expected a low scoring, cold weather, typical AFC North game. Instead, even as cold and windy as the conditions were, Cleveland threw it 29 times while Nick Chubb ran it 12 times in a 28-14 loss for the Browns. Yes, they were down, but my source said that will be much closer to the norm for Cleveland next year. Tons of passing attempts for Watson (likely closer to 40 a game in reasonable weather) with like 12 rushing attempts for Chubb and maybe a few touches for Jerome Ford.

Lots of ways to look at this and all the players that'd have their values affected, but spreading it 40 times a game would spike Watson's value.

Stepanski is still the HC, right? The guy whose Browns ranked 4, 4, and 5 in the NFL in rushing attempts in his 3 years there? The same guy who in his one year as OC in MIN before he became a HC in CLE had the 4th ranked team in rushing attempts? And they still have Chubb at RB? And now they’re going to hold Chubb to 12 carries a game?

Um, okay.

[halfbaked88]

Matthew Berry after talking with NFL people at the Combine-

One source told me “They are really going to open up the offense. Go five wide. Pass a lot. This is going to be Deshaun Watson's offense, not Nick Chubb's. They will pass a lot more than folks expect.”

I was told to go look at the Browns-Steelers game from Week 18. In that game, the opening kickoff temperature was in the 30's. Cold as hell and the Over/Under was 39.5. People expected a low scoring, cold weather, typical AFC North game. Instead, even as cold and windy as the conditions were, Cleveland threw it 29 times while Nick Chubb ran it 12 times in a 28-14 loss for the Browns. Yes, they were down, but my source said that will be much closer to the norm for Cleveland next year. Tons of passing attempts for Watson (likely closer to 40 a game in reasonable weather) with like 12 rushing attempts for Chubb and maybe a few touches for Jerome Ford.

Lots of ways to look at this and all the players that'd have their values affected, but spreading it 40 times a game would spike Watson's value.

Stepanski is still the HC, right? The guy whose Browns ranked 4, 4, and 5 in the NFL in rushing attempts in his 3 years there? The same guy who in his one year as OC in MIN before he became a HC in CLE had the 4th ranked team in rushing attempts? And they still have Chubb at RB? And now they’re going to hold Chubb to 12 carries a game?

Um, okay.

Stefanski better be good whatever he does.

If it's a choice between a HC who's finished with losing records missing the playoffs two years in a row and 230-million guaranteed, guess who's getting fired?

Deshaun will be around for a long time. The HC is TBD and perhaps sooner than later.

[MFundercover]

Hes gonna ball

[FantasyFreak]

Hes gonna ball

Nah, not unless they start throwing at least say, 26 times per game.

[Pullo Vision]

Berry's Combine Rumors usually have had quite a few nuggets that come to fruition.

It's self-explanatory though. You don't fully guarantee a $230M+ contract to a QB to hand the ball off to a RB 20+ times. They have to justify the contract and he's still a big-time talent at QB that you need to be a high volume playmaker.

It almost seemed contradictory, getting a high end QB for a scheme so run heavy. That and my concerns about the cold windy weather has had me worried. The suggestion of commitment to the pass in spite of weather and scheme is nice.

Stepanski is still the HC, right? The guy whose Browns ranked 4, 4, and 5 in the NFL in rushing attempts in his 3 years there? The same guy who in his one year as OC in MIN before he became a HC in CLE had the 4th ranked team in rushing attempts? And they still have Chubb at RB? And now they’re going to hold Chubb to 12 carries a game?

Um, okay.

And here are those scheme concerns. With Hunt a FA and D'Ernest Johnson gone, that leaves Ford behind Chubb. There've been suggestions to sell Chubb in dynasty because of workload/age, so if he does wear down, could see the offense forced to pass, regardless of what the HC/scheme wants.

To halfbaked's point, Stefanski could be coaching for his job this year.

[Lumps]

Hes gonna ball

Nah, not unless they start throwing at least say, 26 times per game.

I am far from a Watson truther and I own no shares. I just don’t see how they give him that contract and trade those picks to continue to be top 5 in rushing. It COULD happen, but if it does that is some gross mismanagement of resources.