The unhappiness reported by Deshaun Watson towards the Houston Texans adds another layer of intrigue to the quarterback situation of the 49ers entering the off-season. Although there have been no reports of the Texans offering the 25-year-old quarterback in a transaction and Watson has not made any public commercial requests, the conversation about his potential move has taken over the conversation about the San Francisco off-season.
Legendary 49ers WR Jerry Rice joined “The Morning Roast” on Monday at 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and talked about a potential search for Watson for the 49ers.
“It all starts with the defender,” Rice said. “If the defender can’t stay healthy, then we have problems. If Deshaun Watson, if he’s there and he’s unhappy in Houston, I think we need to keep that in mind. “
When asked how much he would be willing to give up in a commercial scenario, Rice – who played with a pair of San Francisco Hall of Fame defenders – stressed how important the position is.
“The quarterback is the most important piece of the puzzle,” Rice said. “If you don’t have a defender, you won’t win. You will build your dynasty around the quarterback. So how much? I don’t know, but if we have the opportunity to bring a player of his quality, we have to look at it, because the game is still going in a different direction, boys. The defenders are more mobile, they are able to get out of pocket, they expand the games, they are still able to deliver the ball down the field. You need to have a mobile quarterback now. So I don’t know what’s too much, but if we get a chance to get a player his size or something, we have to go for it. “
It’s hard to argue with any of Rice’s points. The NFL is now such a big league that finding the franchise signal is the number one priority. 1 for each team. The right player in this position can cover a lot of warts that could appear if a smaller talent occupies him.
If Watson is available in a deal, Rice is right, San Francisco should do everything he can to try to get him to Santa Clara.