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Deshaun Watson has once again seen the spotlight as Lamar Jackson still awaits a deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Analysts have begun to shift their rhetoric from talking about a potential deal to talking about his next team. However, moving the quarterback to a new team is no small transaction.
Speaking on Get Up, NFL analyst Jeff Darlington explained that if the team were to stick him with an exclusive franchise tag and trade him to another team. The buyer could be forced to fork over more than what it cost the Browns to get Deshaun Watson. Here's how he put it:
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"[People think] that they should put the non-exclusive tag on him [to force] a team to come in and spend two first-round picks. But I'm looking at precedent right now: Deshaun Watson's deal."
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He continued, reiterating that the quarterback was worth more than two first-round picks:
"I think he's worth more than two first-round picks, and that's why the Ravens, if they place the exclusive tag on him, they could do a sign-and-trade and get even more for Lamar Jackson and two first-round picks... You could get even more than the Houston Texans [got to let] the Texans' quarterback [join] the Browns."
One-year anniversary of Deshaun Watson trade looms for Texans
On March 20, 2022, NFL Media and Tom Pelissero reported that the Texans quarterback was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a boatload of picks. The Browns got Watson and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.
Meanwhile, the Texans received 2022, 2023, and 2024 first-round picks, a 2022 fourth-round pick, a third-round pick in 2023, and a fourth-round selection in 2024.
Since the trade, the Browns went on to use the quarterback for half of 2022 after he served his suspension. The team went 7-10. Meanwhile, the Texans went 3-13-1 with Davis Mills in his sophomore season. They own the second overall spot in the 2023 NFL draft.
If any of the above quotes are used, please credit Get Up and H/T Sportskeeda.
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