ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky Has a Crazy Trade Idea Involving Deshaun Watson and Saquon Barkley
The New York Jets may appear to be the most logical landing spot for Deshaun Watson, but could the disgruntled Houston Texans star end up playing for the other NFL team that calls MetLife Stadium home?
According to ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the New York Giants have a path to land the uber-talented passer.
But it will require Dave Gettleman to trade two of the team’s recent first-round selections, plus a few more valuable draft picks, too.
The most logical landing spots for Deshaun Watson
Thanks to their own negligence, the Texans fractured their relationship with Deshaun Watson beyond repair. At least, that’s the takeaway based on the quarterback’s recent trade request.
Given his importance to the team, it seems insane that Houston will likely have to get rid of its biggest star. But if the situation has truly reached the point of no return, then the Texans must attempt to get fair value for a player who many regard as the league’s best quarterback not named Patrick Mahomes.
One trade partner that makes sense is the Miami Dolphins. Although the AFC East franchise just drafted Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick less than a year ago, the former Alabama QB didn’t fully cement his status as the team’s quarterback of the future. Armed with extra draft picks thanks to Bill O’Brien’s ridiculous overpay for Laremy Tunsil, the Dolphins have all the pieces to make the biggest move of the offseason.
Of course, they could face stiff competition from the Jets. Like the Dolphins, they also have an attractive collection of trade chips. If the Texans believe Sam Darnold has star potential, perhaps a package centered around the former No. 3 overall pick would sway Houston to send Watson to Miami’s division rival.
On paper, those two teams represent the most logical fits.
But ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky recently unveiled a much more unorthodox trade scenario involving Watson and the New York Giants.
Dan Orlovsky has a crazy trade idea that would send the Texas star to the Giants
Dave Gettleman infamously drafted Daniel Jones with the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL draft. Widely viewed as a reach at the time, the former Duke QB hasn’t come close to living up to expectations in New York.
In two seasons, the 23-year-old has thrown just 35 touchdowns compared to a whopping 22 interceptions. Jones has taken 83 sacks and committed an astounding 29 fumbles in 27 NFL games.
With their young quarterback struggling to find any semblance of consistency, the Giants have continued to rack up losses at an alarming rate. In 2020, New York went 6-10 due largely to an offense that ranked 31st in both points and total yards.
Even though they just invested a premium draft pick on the position, the Giants shouldn’t hesitate to get in on the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes. In fact, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky outlined a crazy trade scenario that would send the Pro Bowl QB to New York during Friday’s appearance on Get Up.
“If I was Dave Gettleman of the New York Giants, I would take Daniel Jones, I would take Saquon Barkley, and I would take three first-round picks and call Houston and not allow them to get off the phone with me,” Orlovsky said. “As a general manager, in this moment, if you ever were going to take a swing, this is the swing to take.”
On the surface, the deal may look like an overpay for the Giants. But when you consider the implications of landing Watson, it makes total sense for New York to give Houston a call.
Would New York even consider making that deal?
Daniel Jones has done nothing to give Giants fans confidence that he will lead the team to a Super Bowl title one day. And while Saquon Barkley represents everything a franchise could want in a star player, that doesn’t change the fact that he plays the running back position and has suffered several major injuries since entering the league as the No. 2 overall pick in 2018.
Ultimately, neither player has turned the Giants into a playoff team. And given the uncertain landscape of the NFC East, New York could seize control of the division by executing a trade for Deshaun Watson.
Getting rid of Jones would be a pure case of addition by subtraction. Losing Barkely would sting simply because of his likeability, but it is much easier to find a 1,000-yard back rather than a franchise quarterback.
As for the three first-round picks Dan Orlovsky suggested as part of a Watson trade?
Given Gettleman’s track record in the draft, swapping picks for a proven star suddenly seems more than palatable.
At the end of the day, it won’t be surprising at all if Watson plays his home games at MetLife Stadium.
Unfortunately for Giants fans, it seems far more likely that he will be wearing a Jets uniform if that happens.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
