Deshaun Watson Has Interest in Joining the Vikings, but Should They Pursue Him?
Tom Gorski
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The 2021 NFL season has officially concluded, and reports are already coming out just days after the Super Bowl about a potential superstar interested in joining the Minnesota Vikings.
Deshaun Watson has expanded his team wish list to two more teams, and the Minnesota Vikings are on that list alongside the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler.
“Watson spent the 2021 season on the team’s active roster but did not play and has begun evaluating potential fits for his services in 2022, with the Buccaneers and Vikings among teams on his radar.”
The fact that a player of Watsons’ caliber is open to playing in Minnesota reflects how impressive of a hire both Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell are. Last offseason, when Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer were still around, it was reported that Watson had no interest in Minnesota due to their run-heavy offense.
Does this mean that Minnesota could potentially be a player’s destination now after hiring Super Bowl-winning coordinator Kevin O’Connell as their new head coach? The perception of Minnesota has apparently changed with a younger regime currently in place.
Fowler also added, “One source noted that Watson — who has a no-trade clause — is still early in the evaluation process, but he’s looking for the right blend of offensive system, coaching, talent and, most importantly, the chance to win,”
The Minnesota Vikings have a win-now roster offensively, which is more than likely appealing to Watson, and the fact that the Vikings have Justin Jefferson seems to be the most appealing part of the team. To go along with Jefferson, hiring O’Connell also seems to play a huge role in Watsons’ interest.
Watson is currently facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and sexual assault. At least 10 women, including two who have not filed civil suits, have filed police complaints against him. And so far, he has denied all allegations.
“His legal issues remain unresolved, and whether the league suspends him under the personal conduct policy is uncertain,” Fowler said. “The expectation leaguewide, however, is that the Texans will once again explore trade options for Watson, possibly around the start of the new league year March 16 or the NFL draft in late April,”
Why Minnesota Should Pursue Deshaun Watson
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The Minnesota Vikings have desperately been searching for their franchise quarterback for years. But unfortunately have never landed on the right guy. Watson would finally be the guy they’ve been searching for that could take them to the next level. Minnesota has missed on guys over the years, dating back to Christian Ponder, Teddy Bridgewater, and as of recently, Kirk Cousins.
Watson, age 27, is just entering the prime of his career and could potentially be around in Minnesota for the next decade playing at a high level. The Vikings have a nice young core on offense, and teaming up Watson with Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Irv Smith Jr. is quite intriguing. Minnesota also has a young up-and-coming offensive line, and both tackle spots solidified for the foreseeable future.
The NFC North is wide open, and if Minnesota can land Watson, they could run the division year after year and really own the division going forward. Detroit is in the early stages of a rebuild and if Rodgers leaves, do they trust Jordan Love? Chicago has the potential to rise, but Justin Fields just finished a disastrous rookie season and ended with the lowest QBR in history by a rookie. So as of now, it’s hard to take the Bears as a serious threat in the North.
If Minnesota were to have Watson, there’s an argument to be made that they could run away with the NFC North right away and possibly compete in the NFC year in, year out. Watson is everything Kirk Cousins isn’t, and he can take the team to the next level and, unlike Cousins, elevate the players around him.
Watson has had one losing season since entering the league, and he had to face a ton of adversity during the 2020 NFL season. The Houston Texans are arguably the most dysfunctional franchise in all of sports, and Watson has somehow managed to remain successful and win big-time games.
Watson finished the 2020 season completing 70.2% of his passes, throwing for 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions to go along with a rating of 112.4. Watson also rushed for 443 yards and three touchdowns, all while being sacked 49 times which was the second-most in the NFL.
Kirk Cousins has been mediocre since coming to Minnesota, he’s had great statistical seasons, but since he’s arrived, the team has regressed significantly. Cousins has taken the Vikings to the playoffs once in the last four seasons while making top-tier money, taking up a majority of the cap, and refusing to re-negotiate any team-friendly deals.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should explore the possibility and find a way to bring Watson to Minnesota. Landing a player of Watsons’ caliber is a franchise-altering move, telling the rest of the league they are tired of being mediocre, and they plan on competing for championships consistently from here on out.
Why Minnesota Shouldn’t Pursue Deshaun Watson
The Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t pursue Deshaun Watson for many reasons, especially since he missed the entire 2021 NFL season after facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct and sexual assault. Ownership more than likely wouldn’t approve of a Watson trade due to his lack of character. It’s a bad look for the franchise and could be an absolute PR nightmare.
The Vikings are also in a tight cap situation, and if Minnesota were to pull off a Cousins for Watson swap, they would still be over the cap. Acquiring Watson wouldn’t fix their cap situation, and tough decisions would still need to be made regarding Adam Thielen, Harrison Smith, and Danielle Hunter. By adding Watson, there is no guarantee that they would compete right away. The roster still has multiple holes to fill, specifically on defense.
Watson also missed an entire season of football. He might not be the same type of star that he was before. While his legal issues continued to take turns, he wasn’t even practicing with Houston. They had him play scout team quarterback during training camp. He didn’t take any hits and was inactive all preseason long, heading into the regular season before being dismissed by the team.
There is also a chance that Watson could face some punishment from the league, especially if the jury in his trial decides to turn his civil charges into criminal. Watson could face a suspension of 8-10 games potentially missing yet another season.
As of now, he’s not expected to face criminal charges or any punishment from the league, but it’s something to keep an eye out for.
Minnesota isn’t close to a Super Bowl appearance or even a deep playoff run any time soon. Going after Watson might not be in the cards at the moment. They could look to extend Cousins and build around the 34-year-old quarterback or look in a new direction and potentially draft a rookie to develop.
Kevin O’Connell will have the final say, but until he can sit down and evaluate the roster for himself, it’s anyone’s guess what will occur within the next few months. The offseason should be exciting, and a new era of Vikings football is upon us.
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