Even with the Houston Texans ignoring calls about a Deshaun Watson trade, NFL rumors continue to point in the direction of the disgruntled quarterback being dealt.
It really is an interesting scenario to look at. The reigning NFL passing champion has indicated behind the scenes that he will holdout into next season should Houston not trade him. In turn, the Texans’ new brass has been unwilling to talk trade with interested teams.
All of this comes at the same time that the Chicago Bears are in quarterback purgatory. They are set to move off former No. 2 pick Mitchell Trubisky. The team also missed out on landing Carson Wentz and has been shockingly linked to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
As things come into focus with NFL free agency opening up here soon, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Bears are looking to pull off a big trade for a quarterback. In talking to the media on Tuesday, general manager Ryan Pace did absolutely nothing to dispel this notion.
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Chicago Bears speak out on quarterback situation
“Everything’s on the table,” Pace said about the Bears’ quarterback position. “We have a plan in place and now it’s about executing that plan.”
Some might say that there’s not a lot to go on here. That’s surface-based thinking. First off, Pace came nowhere close to committing to Nick Foles as Chicago’s starting quarterback in 2021. Some NFL rumors had led to the belief that Foles would be the Bears’ Week 1 starter after they acquired him ahead of the 2020 season. That might no longer be the case.
Pace can’t get into specifics when talking about players under contract with another team. There’s something minor called tampering. But by making it clear that they have a plan and everything remains on the table, it’s not overly presumptive to think something could be going on behind the scenes.
This will obviously lead to speculation about both Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. Even with Wilson’s relationship with the Seahawks deteriorating, it’s hard to envision the Super Bowl quarterback being traded this offseason. That leaves one other option as it relates to a blockbuster trade.
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NFL rumors: Did the Bears suggest interest in a Deshaun Watson trade?
At this point in the NFL offseason, you have to read between the lines — even if said lines represent less than 18 words from a general manager.
Pace’s comments Tuesday underscores the belief that he’s feeling pressure to pull off a blockbuster trade. By now, it’s known that he has joined Bears head coach Matt Nagy on the hot seat heading into the 2021 season. Relying on Foles or another pedestrian starter-caliber quarterback could spell the end of his career in the Windy City.
A blockbuster Watson trade might be the only thing that saves Chicago’s current brass.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Bears, check out #DaBears rumors, rankings, and news here
How might a Deshaun Watson trade to the Chicago Bears look?
It would likely have to start with former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack heading to the Houston Texans as a replacement for the recently-departed J.J. Watt.
From there, the Bears would have to give up their first-round picks in both 2021 and 2022 as well as some other valuable draft capital. Something like this could make sense.
- Bears get: Deshaun Watson
- Texans get: First-round picks in 2021, 2022, second-round picks in 2021, 2022, third-round pick in 2023, Khalil Mack and Kyle Fuller
This would meet Houston’s reported asking price of multiple first-round picks and at least two top-end defensive players. Sure it would be a high price for Chicago to pay. But at this point, the team is quickly running out of alternatives.