For me, a big part of the rationale for trading for Watson is the reality that to have a realistic shot to get past KC and into the SB we'll need a great QB. Maybe Fields, or Wilson, or Lance, or Jones, or Trask can be great, MAYBE, but Watson is DEFINITELY great, and he's young. Again, I wouldn't give up all our first rounders, but I'd give up one each this year and next, and either Darnold or a couple lower picks in 2023. As for him being a prima donna like Adams, I'm not familiar with whatever has unfolded in Houston, but from the little I know I don't see Watson in the same light. He was actually made promises which were broken, unlike Adams who had no promises to him broken and who started agitating because Douglas did what Adams asked for: get traded to Dallas and it didn't happen. I can see a close parallel to what Bell did with Pittsburgh, but I had no problem with that - Bell gambled and lost, but he didn't whine about it, he accepted it and went on with his career.
Also I'm going to put this here: Watson's career stats: 67.8 cmp%, 14539 yds, 104 TDs, 36 INTs, 104.5 rating Watson's 2020 stats: 70.2 cmp%, 4823 yds, 33 TDs, 7 INTs, 112.4 rating Those stats are out of this world! Even by NFL standards, let alone Jets standards. And his 2020 season came on a terrible Texans team with no Hopkins. Imagine what Watson would do if he were on the Chiefs like Mahomes. That the Texans went 4-12 this year shows that even he can't single-handedly make a team good, but if Douglas can build a decent roster, and Saleh is a decent coach, Watson can take us to the promised land.
I believe Miami has 4 picks in the top 50 this yr. So having the 2nd pick compared to the third they could trump us every step back
The advantage we have over Miami is that we have the #2 pick, which means if the Texans really want Fields (or Wilson), they can only ensure they get him by trading Watson to us.
I'd definitely prefer not to give up both first rounders this year, but if it's do that or have Watson get traded to the Dolphins instead of us (God forbid), I'm doing that.
They don’t have the key pick though. If they don’t hold 2 they can’t get the QB they want because we can trade back and someone else will grab Fields/Wilson/Lance
The Dolphins have better skill position players than we do currently (not by a ton), but they'd also need to likely cut a couple guys to make Watson's contract work and then the team will be as is (plus drafted players). The roster is obviously much better than the Jets but they have a ton of money tied up in their defense at the moment and don't get any potential relief until next off-season. Their top five defensive players account for $58 million against their cap. Again, much better team and defense and what not. But their offensive line was probably equally as bad as ours was this past year and they don't have the golden goose at left tackle.
That is the key to the Jets getting Watson. If the Texans fall in love with Fields or Wilson than the Jets will get Watson, if JD is willing to give up the picks that is. So basically we need to hope that Caserio either loves one of Fields or Wilson or the very least likes one better than Tua.
Deshaun Watson is the meme most likely to continue Same Old Jets. It's hard to see because people are so desperate for competent play that they'll see any great player coming to the Jets at any cost as a positive thing. This is despite the fact that the Jets are many players away from being a good football team. Deshaun Watson isn't the last piece of the puzzle. He would be among the first pieces. People see the multiple high round draft picks he would cost the Jets as the logical price of bringing a good young QB to town. They don't see the missing pieces all around him that spending those picks would cost as real assets. They don't see the WR's, TE's, RB's and OL that the Jets still need to acquire as part of the big picture. They don't see the defensive overhaul that needs to be done, particularly at Edge and CB as part of the picture. They just see a great QB and think we'll manage some how with the other pieces. This despite the Jets never managing somehow with the big picture for more than a year or two at the outside. The free agents that are supposed to fill the gaps are going to be the same guys they always are. They're going to be the Calvin Paces and Trumaine Johnsons. Primetime good players paid like stars because they're available in free agency. They're going to be the Bart Scotts and Jim Leonhards, team leaders that nonetheless are on the backside of their careers. They're going to be the 29 year old offensive linemen, good in their last stop but ready to age out on us in 2 years once they get here. They're going to be the Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, misfit stars on their last team without staying power once they uproot themselves and follow the money. You don't build good teams that way. You build them piece by piece through the draft where your team culture can be built without dealing with other people's problem children. You build them by making every player accountable on every play and that's something you can't do once you have guaranteed them millions and taken away their fear of professional failure. Why is Deshaun Watson so loud right now in his season of discontent? Because he has a $100M guaranteed coming his way and he can afford to be loud. If the Jets brought him onboard in a huge deal he wouldn't be playing for the Jets. The Jets would be playing for him, with no recourse if things went sour and he got loud again. He's a great QB but nothing happens in a vacuum and giving up a bunch of valuable assets for him when the Jets are so talent deprived right now is almost a ridiculous conversation to be having. Yeah, BrianCostello thinks the Jets should do watever it takes. That's because he has something to write about no matter what happens and believe me he is going to be perfectly happy to write the 'why does this always happen to the Jets?' stories if things go sour. All the NY media thought Leveon Bell was a no-brainer to support Sam Darnold with the Jets offense lacking playmakers. How did that turn out?
Yeah I think I'd rather give up more earlier so when he's really in his QB peak at 27-29 we can continue to load the roster. This isn't a particularly strong receiver class at the top (assuming Smith/Chase/Waddle are all gone by 23 which I imagine they will be). Runningbacks will be plug and play in this zone system as well and I doubt Harris gets to 23 anyways. No idea what the 2023 class looks like obviously but I'd imagine we will be looking at edge/corner/OL at 23 and the drop-off to 34 shouldn't be that bad.
I mean if you add a guard and receiver (Godwin) in free agency, draft a mid-round runningback and tightend, the holes are slowly being plugged without needing to spend a first round pick. I imagine whether we trade for him or not we'll be looking for mid round players at tightend and RB anyways.