Getty Deshaun Watson is "torn" about his next team after meeting the Falcons.
Deshaun Watson is still undecided about which team he’ll play for this season. The Houston Texans’ quarterback has visited four franchises, including the Atlanta Falcons.
Watson met with Falcons brass on Wednesday, March 16, after also visiting with Atlanta’s NFC South rivals the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, as well as the Cleveland Browns, per Pro Football Talk:
Per source, the four teams that met with Deshaun Watson (Saints, Panthers, Falcons, Browns), had their owners, General Managers, and coaches personally present for the sessions.
Now, Watson is said to be “incredibly torn” about his next team after being “impressed by every presentation,” according to PFT’s Mike Florio. The Falcons could still have the inside track, though, with one Hall of Fame quarterback backing Watson to choose Atlanta.
ALL the latest Falcons news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Falcons newsletter here!
Certain Factors Favor the Falcons
The Texans want a lot for Watson, but he could be swayed by hometown lure. Watson is an Atlanta native, who played his high school football at Gainesville High in Georgia.
That’s where he formed a “long-standing relationship” with Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Watson even worked as a ball boy for the Falcons: “If he plays in Atlanta, he will go to work every day at a facility 10 miles from his high school.”
Blank isn’t the only person connected to the Falcons Watson knows well. Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon told TMZ Sports Watson formed a bond with former Falcons’ running back Warrick Dunn.
The latter is a minority owner of the franchise and runs the Warrick Dunn Charities. Watson has first-hand experience of the charity, according to Moon: “He put Deshaun in one of his houses (through his charity) many, many years ago. So, there’s a connection, a tie there with the Atlanta Falcons.”
Having firm links to the franchise isn’t a modest factor in the Falcons’ favor. It could tip the balance as the race to land one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks heats up.
Watson Taking His Time
The hometown influence was clear when Florio pointed out Watson met the Falcons in Atlanta, even though discussions with the Browns, Panthers and Saints all took place in Houston.
A lot of signs are pointing toward the Falcons, but Watson is content to take his time over a decision. Florio revealed “There’s no timetable for the decision. He could, as the source put it, wake up in the morning with a choice made. He also could take a few days.”
The Falcons won’t mind waiting if it gives them time to sort through a delicate situation with incumbent passer Matt Ryan. He’s still under contract and carries significant salary cap hits for the next two years.
Ryan won’t be easy to shift, especially amid contrasting reports concerning how much the Falcons have told him about their interest in Watson. The Falcons kept their quarterback in the loop, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter:
As @mortreport reported, the Falcons informed QB Matt Ryan last weekend that they were pursuing Deshaun Watson. The lines of communication have been kept open between Ryan and the Falcons.
That assertion was later refuted by a reply from Ryan’s sister-in-law, Maggie Marshall Ryan:
@AdamSchefter @mortreport Then he reported wrong…
Whoever knew what and when, the Falcons appear to have made a serious, overt effort to recruit Watson. It makes sense on some levels, since he’s a legitimate dual-threat playmaker and still only 26, 10 years younger than Ryan.
Back in February, Blank made it clear the Falcons wanted a “succession plan” for replacing Ryan, per Kendall. Watson qualifies, but he’s also shrouded in controversy after facing allegations of sexual misconduct. A Texas grand jury declined to indict Watson on Friday, March 11.
Comments
Deshaun Watson ‘Torn’ About New Team After Falcons Visit