The position of the Texans in Houston has not changed. New GM Nick Caserio is not interested in trading disgruntled defender Deshaun Watson.
Watson, who is a very, very smart player, used whatever leverage he could, threatening to hold out from the 2021 season if the Texans do not accept a deal. Caserio could intend to cut his GM teeth in a three-time Pro Bowler stand-off, or he could simply wait for that offer he can’t refuse.
Maybe Denver Broncos will be the team that will blow Caserio’s hair. New GM George Paton has been a spokesman and involved in “every transaction” on the QB market this season.
Once the latest domino QB fell in the form of Carson Wentz traded in Indianapolis, the Broncos’ options for a day of upgrading to incumbent Drew Lock declined. The good news?
Current betting odds favor the Broncos as club leaders to win the Watson group, according to FanDuel.
Two things have been clarified about the Denver Broncos this offseason: they are trying to get out of Drew Lock and are interested in a Deshaun Watson transaction. With the Houston Texans quarterback available, Denver could make a huge move to land their next franchise star.
This is a huge move for Denver, who were out of the top five in the chances of Watson’s next team just under two weeks ago. However, there is a growing noise linking the QB to the Broncos, so it’s no surprise that Denver has made its way.
The player’s futures on the FanDuel Sportsbook (available only in Colorado) continue to support the Watson-la-Denver transaction. Their odds rose to +300 just a few days ago and they are moving again. The Broncos are now favorites to land Watson at +150.
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Meanwhile, Houston has long defeated writer John McClain, rejecting the notion that Denver is the favorite to land Watson.
“I guarantee the Denver Broncos won’t get Deshaun Watson from the Texans,” McClain said earlier this week during an appearance on Denver’s KOARadio.
Time will tell. McClain considers the New York Jets and the egg nest of that multi-player team in the first round to be the true leader of Watson’s landing.
Meanwhile, Lock hears all the buzzing and sees his new GM openly following every veteran QB available on the market.
The word on the street is that the third-year signal is struggling to block out the noise, keeping its head down and its nose to the grinding stone at Broncos headquarters. It would be a major upset to see a tectonic QB transaction changing the Denver mode this season.
The most likely scenario, given that head coach Vic Fangio is in a “win or something” season, is that Paton ends up settling for a freelance travel agent like Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett or Ryan Fitzpatrick, and she leads him back with Lock for another year.
As appealing as a QB is in the NFL draft in April, a rookie won’t save Fangio or the Broncos from any fate awaits them in 2021. If there’s no Watson or (even less likely) Russell Wilson, there’s a distinct probability that Paton and Fangio see Lock as QB to give them the best chance of winning in 202.
After all, this would be Lock’s second year in offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s scheme, and his early 18 NFL game gave him a more than solid sample of league exposure and his best defenses. If Denver loses out on sensational spring trades this spring, don’t be surprised to see Paton running it with Lock.
And when / if this happens, don’t be surprised to see that Lock shows a marked improvement and wins a few ball games for Fangio and Shurmur.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
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