National Football League

Colin Cowherd's five reasons the Houston Texans should trade Deshaun Watson

Updated Mar. 1, 2021 9:39 p.m. ET

There's no time like the present.

And if the Texans are going to trade Deshaun Watson, now is the perfect time to do it – at least in Colin Cowherd's estimation.

In response to an article written by longtime Houston Chronicle NFL reporter John McClain, on Monday's edition of "The Herd," Cowherd listed five reasons the Houston Texans should trade their disgruntled franchise quarterback after weeks of back-and-forth between the perennial Pro Bowler and the organization.

McClain pointed out that although the Texans are reportedly willing to force Watson's hand by not taking calls and refusing to trade him, what is an ugly situation will only get uglier. He suggested that the organization should listen to offers for a quarterback the caliber of Watson, one of which could result in an unprecedented trade package to help the Texans rebuild.

"If the Texans do open a line of communication with teams interested in Watson, it’ll create a feeding frenzy the likes of which the NFL has never seen, but that’s what they have to do. It’s unprecedented for a great quarterback who’s 25 and under contract for five more years to become available.

"Today, the Texans say Watson is not available, but who knows what tomorrow will bring? For the Texans, it needs to bring some sanity. If it doesn’t and they let him sit, it could be a decision that has repercussions for years."

Needless to say, Cowherd agreed and was inspired to outline the five reasons he believes the Texans should move on from Watson immediately.

1. Watson is coming off his best season.

Colin's take: "He’s coming off his best statistical year. What does that mean? His trade value has never been higher. It was only two years ago people liked him a lot but worried about his injuries. He wasn't an elegant thrower. Now he's off his greatest year."

What to know: During the 2020 season, the 25-year-old Watson threw for 4,823 yards (first in the NFL) and 33 touchdowns (tied for seventh) while completing 70.2% of his passes (third) and posting a 112.4 passer rating (second), all career highs.

2. There could be a bidding war.

Colin's take: "The Jets, Dolphins and Carolina – you got a bidding war. You have a bidding war. Jets and Dolphins, in-division, don’t want to have to face him – they’d rather have him."

What to know: Miami is coming off a 10-6 season in which veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick and rookie Tua Tagovailoa each started multiple games, combining for 3,905 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Jets won just two of their 16 games, and Sam Darnold put up career lows in passing yards (2,208) and passing TDs (nine) in his third season as the Jets' starter. Carolina seems to be at a crossroads with its starting QB, Teddy Bridgewater, with reports surfacing that teams are calling about his availability in a trade.

3. This year's draft features a strong QB class.

Colin's take: "It’s a very strong year for quarterbacks in the draft. Next year’s a terrible year for quarterbacks in the NFL draft. This year is a great year."

What to know: In his latest Mock Draft, FOX Sports' Jason McIntyre has five quarterbacks going in the first 15 picks of the draft, including Clemson's Trevor Lawrence (No. 1), BYU's Zach Wilson (No. 2), North Dakota State's Trey Lance (No. 8), Ohio State's Justin Fields (No. 9) and Alabama's Mac Jones (No. 15).

4. Watson is healthy right now.

Colin's take: "Deshaun has another injury, all of a sudden you get that narrative, ‘Well, you know, his trade value – he is getting older.’"

What to know: Watson suffered a torn ACL during the 2017 season, playing in only seven games, and has had smaller injuries since then, including injuring his back, hurting his throwing elbow and taking a kick to the eye. However, he has missed only one game the past three seasons, effectively proving that he's reliable when it comes to his health.

5. Houston is in need of a rebuild.

Colin's take: "You’re rebuilding. How do you rebuild? Draft picks. You get a boatload. You don't rebuild with free agency because free agents don't want to go to losing teams."

What to know: Houston has not proven to be a free-agency destination in recent years. In fact, the team allowed the longtime face of the franchise, J.J. Watt, to escape in free agency on Monday. Houston has eight picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the Texans do not currently have a first-round or second-round pick.