The position of the Houston Texans has not changed. New GM Nick Caserio is not interested in operating with disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson, who is a very, very smart player, used the power he could by threatening to hold back the 2021 season if the Texans don’t accept a trade. Caserio might intend to cut his GM teeth in a showdown with the three-time Pro Bowler, or he might just be waiting for that offer he can’t turn down.
Maybe the Denver Broncos will be that team that will blow Caserio’s hair out. New GM George Paton has been a man of his word and has been involved in “all deals” in the QB market this offseason.
With the last QB domino in the form of Carson Wentz being traded to Indianapolis, the Broncos ’options for a one-day update over starting Drew Lock have dwindled. The good news?
Current odds of betting favor the Broncos as club leaders to win the Watson draw, according to FanDuel.
Two things have become clear this season about the Denver Broncos: they are looking to move on from Drew Lock and are interested in a Deshaun Watson trade. With the Houston Texans quarterback available, Denver could make a big move to get its next star franchise.
This represents a huge move for Denver, who fell out of the top five among the odds of Watson’s next team just under two weeks ago. However, there is a growing noise linking the QB with the Broncos, so it’s no surprise that Denver has advanced.
Odds of future FanDuel Sportsbook players (only available in Colorado) continue to support Watson’s negotiation in Denver. Their odds increased to +300 just a couple of days ago and they are leaving again. The Broncos are now the favorites to get Watson to +150.
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Meanwhile, Houston defeated writer John McClain for a long time and refuted the idea that Denver was the favorite of the odds of landing at Watson.
“I guarantee you the Denver Broncos won’t get Deshaun Watson from the Texans,” McClain said earlier this week during an appearance on KOARadio in Denver.
Time will tell. McClain considers the New York Jets, and the nest egg of the first-round multiplayer team, as the true leader in landing Watson.
Meanwhile, Lock hears all the fuss and sees that his new GM is openly chasing literally every veteran QB available on the market.
The word on the street is that the person calling the third-year sign is struggling to avoid the noise, keeping his head down and his nose towards the grindstone of Broncos headquarters. It would be a major upset to see a QB tectonic trade change the way Denver changes this offseason.
The most likely scenario, given that head coach Vic Fangio is in a “win or not” season, is that Paton will end up having to settle for a free travel agent like Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett or Ryan. Fitzpatrick, and direct him back with Lock one more year.
As appealing as a QB is in the April NFL draft, a rookie won’t save Fangio or the Broncos from any fate that awaits them in 2021. If there’s no Watson, or (even less likely) Russell Wilson , Paton and Fangio are likely to consider Lock as the QB to give the Broncos the best chance of winning the 202.
After all, this would be Lock’s second year in offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s scheme, and his 18 starts in the NFL have provided him with a more than solid sample size of exposure to the league and his best defenses. If Denver loses the sensational QB trades this spring, don’t be surprised to see how Paton does it with Lock.
And when / if that happens, don’t be surprised to see Lock show marked improvement and win some ball games for Fangio and Shurmur.
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