Deshaun Watson didn’t even a little bit in the 2021-2022 season. Allegations of sexual assault by several women caused him to sit on the sideline (metaphorically of course) for every snap of the season. Watson is looking to leave the Texans next season, and Jeremy Fowler from ESPN has reported that both the Buccs and the Vikings have shown interest in him:
“The Buccaneers will exhaust all options to resolve their quarterback situation after the retirement of Tom Brady, per sources. The goal is to maximize the championship window instead of rebuild. Second-round pick Kyle Trask and veteran Blaine Gabbert remain in the fold, but big-name quarterbacks such as Watson or Russell Wilson could be options Tampa Bay at least explores.
The Vikings have intriguing young pieces in Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook, and they face a decision on the contract of Kirk Cousins, a 2023 free agent who has a $45 million cap hit in 2022. New coach Kevin O’Connell, however, conveyed a strong belief in Cousins during his interview process with Minnesota, relaying a vision for maximizing his skill set.”
Despite his allegations and lack of play in the past season, it’s undeniable that Deshaun Watson remains one of the most talented QBs in the league. With many of the older QBs thinking of retiring/nearing retirement/already having retired, there’s no doubt that he will end up somewhere with weapons who simply need someone who can throw the ball well – Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Minnesota, and Tampa Bay are the ones I’m thinking about. What will be interesting to see is how the allegations against him affect his playing in terms of suspension, seeing as how the NFL and Texans did not enforce anything on him in the 2021-2022 season.
