Should The Buccaneers Pursue QB Deshaun Watson?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise, and fanbase, is stuck in limbo following the somewhat abrupt retirement of quarterback Tom Brady. In addition, over the last two weeks, several veteran quarterbacks have been moved, leaving the options less desirable for the Bucs moving forward. With the court’s decision not to file criminal charges on Friday, does Deshaun Watson become a real alternative for the Krewe?

Right now, the Buccaneers are looking at a combination of Blaine Gabbert and Kyle Trask. Unless you’re a Florida Gators fan, you’re likely not jumping out of your seat for either of the two considering the Bucs, by all accounts, still have a team good enough to compete for a Super Bowl. That’s if they have the right quarterback. Right now, they don’t.

Deshaun Watson will NOT be facing criminal charges.#Texans #NFL #NFLTwitter pic.twitter.com/kaZHKiHXxB

— Full Press NFL (@FullPressNFL) March 11, 2022

Bucs Quarterback Battle: Gabbert vs. Trask

Gabbert is a 10-year NFL veteran with a career 13-35 record. That’s “wins” first, “losses” second in that particular number arrangement. During that unspectacular stretch, Gabbert has completed just 56.3 percent of his passes for 9,273 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions. Tom Brady, of course, threw at least 40 touchdowns in each of his two seasons with the Buccaneers.

Trask, on the other hand, has no NFL experience as he enters his second season in the NFL. Selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Trask spent three years at Florida, throwing for 7,386 yards, 69 touchdowns, and just 15 interceptions. All but one of those touchdown passes came during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Of course, Trask presents a bit more of an unknown, and perhaps, a higher ceiling. With the 32-year-old Gabbert, what you see is what you get. Any thought of him being to lead to Bucs back to the Super Bowl is a pipedream even in this very open NFC.

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Deshaun Watson Presents Best Option

Regardless of who the Buccaneers transition to post-Brady, it was going to be a downgrade. Yes, that includes the hypothetical scenario in which they acquired Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes. It is just the reality of the situation when it comes to life after Brady. However, it’s not too often that a borderline elite quarterback at just 26-years-old becomes available to teams.

And yes, “borderline elite” quarterback is appropriate at this time considering when he was last on the football field leading a team they went 4-12. However, he did lead the league in passing with 4,823 yards in 2020, throwing for 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. All career highs. So, how can he be “borderline elite”? Well, elite quarterbacks, regardless of the situation around them, don’t go 4-12. It doesn’t mean he can get to that level, he is certainly young enough to grow, but his hype may have exceeded reality a bit when he is mentioned among the league’s very best.

With that said, despite the cost it would take to acquire him, Watson is the very best option for the Buccaneers moving forward.

Again, this would not guarantee a Buccaneers’ Super Bowl birth. As we highlighted, Watson still has plenty to prove before he is put up in the elite quarterback tier. However, if he were to join the Buccaneers, he would have every opportunity presented to him to perform as playoffs are now the expectation in Tampa.

Watson to the Buccaneers… Is It Realistic?

Of course, this is not just a matter of the Buccaneers deciding that they want him and then they would get him. First, Watson has a full no-trade clause, meaning, he would have to approve any trade that would be consummated. If he has no desire to be a Buc then this discussion ends now. In addition, he won’t come cheap. The Seahawks were able to acquire multiple first-round picks as well as additional draft compensation (and players) for the 33-year-old Russell Wilson. One would think that’s the ballpark of where you would start when it comes to the compensation the Texans would be seeking.

And then there are the legal issues that make this situation a bit more complicated than normal. Based on the opinion of the grand jury, Watson will not be facing criminal charges for the sexual misconduct complaints that left him on the sideline all last season. That does NOT mean he has been cleared of any wrongdoing. He still faces civil lawsuits for the same complaints that could, in theory, push the NFL and Roger Goodell to suspend him for the start of the 2022 season. But, the real issue is, as a team, accepting the baggage that comes with this particular player. That means, selling it to your current players and the fanbase. Not an easy proposition.

From a pure football standpoint, the Bucs would be wise to kick the tires on Watson. Regardless of how the game of football evolves, the most important position still and will always be the quarterback. The bulk of the quarterback talent in this league calls the AFC home so there is certainly an opportunity for this Bucs team to remain relevant even after the retirement of Brady.

Would Watson be up for the challenge?