One of these five NFL quarterbacks could win MVP soon

It’s never a bad thing when you’re the best quarterback in your division.

We’re now in the territory of it’s probably going to happen at some point, as opposed to a good bit of speculation on Jimmy Garoppolo ever winning one or Aaron Rodgers taking home a third. If Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are the last two quarterbacks to win NFL MVP, why can’t Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans be the guy to join the party in 2020 or 2021?

Sure, Watson lost his best receiving option in DeAndre Hopkins in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. However, Watson is still by far and away the best starting quarterback in his own division. Philip Rivers used to be good, but are we sure he is anymore? Ryan Tannehill is coming off what looks to be a career year. Gardner Minshew doesn’t have the upward trajectory of Watson.

So what would an MVP season look like for Watson in the next year or two? Houston would have to win the AFC South again, probably as a top-two seed and do something the franchise has never done before: Play in an AFC Championship game. Winning 11 or 12 games, getting a No. 2 seed and playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl would be the greatest year in franchise history.

Though Watson didn’t win a Heisman Trophy while quarterbacking the Clemson Tigers, he did make the College Football Playoff twice, going out on top as national champions at the end of the 2016 NCAA season. Assuming he stays healthy, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Watson take home NFL MVP at some point in the next few years. It would be more shocking if it doesn’t happen.