And, yes, that did come close to happening, based on the comments of Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, in a recent interview with a Houston radio station.
In fact, based on his comments, all that kept a trade from being made last season was two of the first 22 complainants agreeing to a non-disclosure agreement to settle their lawsuit.
Per Hardin, Watson made it clear he wanted to play for the Dolphins and the interest was mutual, and not just from then-coach Brian Flores but also from owner Stephen Ross.
“Miami was an outlier,” Hardin said. “Ross says, the owner of Miami says, ‘I’ll take my chances on what happens criminally but I have to have all 22 cases settled and a nondisclosure agreement or I won’t do it.’
“The coach at Miami was somebody that Deshaun liked. He liked the team. He was just chomping at the bit to get back to football and get all this garbage behind him and so we were told, ‘I want to go to Miami.’
“We were told that 20 of them would, but two would not. Ross said if I don’t have all 22 signed up and a confidentiality agreement (he wouldn’t do it), because ‘I don’t want everybody talking about this during the season and after the season.’ ”
Of course, Hardin’s comments contradict what GM Chris Grier said during a media session after the trade deadline passed last November and after he said the Dolphins had simply done their due diligence in examining the idea of making a trade for a player of Watson’s caliber.
“I think any suggestion that this organization would be dealing behind the scenes and try to influence decisions is absolutely ridiculous and categorically false,” Grier said. “To say that we would be involved in that is just flat wrong. It pisses me off.”
Regardless, the Dolphins didn’t make a trade for Watson, which always involved the idea of being able to acquire a franchise quarterback balanced against the potential consequences of such a move, both from a p.r. standpoint and a practical standpoint (such as an NFL suspension).
The Dolphins abandoned the idea this offseason, even after two grand juries declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson, though the Texans had many teams willing to make a deal.
Cleveland ultimately won the bidding for Watson’s services, sending three first-round picks in its package to Houston before signing the quarterback to the eye-opening fully guaranteed extension.
One would think the Dolphins wouldn’t have had to go to such great lengths to get Watson in terms of agreeing to a fully guaranteed extension had they made the trade last year because they were the clear top choice.
THE DOLPHINS-BROWNS GAME OF 2022
Who’s to say how things will play out in the long run and who’ll come out ahead in the whole situation, but the Browns certainly aren’t looking very good at this time.
As for the Dolphins, their only connection to Watson in 2022 will come Nov. 13 when the Browns come to Hard Rock Stadium. That game will be Cleveland’s ninth of the season and will come right after their bye.
So if it ends up that Watson is assessed an eight-game suspension, he’d be looking at making his Browns debut against the Dolphins. And if it turns out the suspension is for longer than eight games, then the Browns’ likely starting quarterback — assuming they don’t keep Baker Mayfield around — would be Jacoby Brissett.
Yep, an odd situation all the way.
