Dolphins reason for passing on Deshaun Watson trade revealed

The Dolphins had strong trade interest in Deshaun Watson recently, but the Texans’ unwillingness to lower their demands killed the deal. 

Trading for Deshaun Watson is a complicated proposition for any NFL team interested in his services. His off-the-field issues could sideline him for a significant period of time. That wasn’t the reason why the Dolphins passed on adding the All-Pro quarterback though.

The reason Miami pulled out of trade talks with the Texans is that Houston’s asking price was simply too high. According to Pro Football Talk, the Texans were asking for four first-round picks and two-second rounders from the Dolphins in any Watson deal. Evidently, officials in South Florida opted to run things back with Tua Tagovailoa instead of sacrificing so much draft capital.

In fairness, Watson’s pending legal issues likely contributed to Miami’s assessment that Houston’s asking price was too high. Getting the quarterback position right is the top priority for every NFL franchise. It’s possible that Miami would have paid Houston’s asking price if they were completely sure they could play Watson right away.

The reality that the NFL is not close to making a decision on Watson’s status may ultimately force the Texans to either hold on to Watson or drastically lower their trade demands. He’s no use to any team if he’s not actually permitted to step onto the field to play.

Any sort of clarification on Watson’s potential eligibility for competition could make a trade come together rather quickly. Texans officials have been consistent with their sky-high demands for their superstar signal caller. Even the most quarterback-needy teams in the league will be inclined to wait for more information on Watson before parting with big-time draft capital to complete a potential trade.

Watson has the talent to change Miami’s fortunes on the field, but the Dolphins were smart to tap the brakes on a trade recently. The price for a quarterback with so much uncertainty is just too high at the moment.