Deshaun Watson’s reported unhappiness with the Houston Texans adds another layer of intrigue to the 49ers’ quarterback situation going into the offseason. While no reports have surfaced of the Texans offering the 25-year-old quarterback in a trade, nor has Watson made any public trade demands, the conversation about his potential move has taken over conversation about San Francisco’s offseason.
Legendary 49ers WR Jerry Rice on Monday joined ‘The Morning Roast’ on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and talked about a potential pursuit of Watson for the 49ers.
“Everything starts with the quarterback,” Rice said. “If the quarterback can’t stay healthy then we have problems. If Deshaun Watson, if he’s out there and he’s unhappy in Houston, I think we have to take that under consideration.”
When asked how much he’d be willing to give up in a trade scenario, Rice – who played with a pair of Hall of Fame quarterbacks in San Francisco – emphasized how important the position is.
“Quarterback is the most important piece of the puzzle,” Rice said. “If you don’t have a quarterback you’re not gonna win. You’re gonna build your dynasty around that quarterback. So, how much? I don’t know, but if we have the opportunity to bring a player of his quality in, we’ve got to look at that because the game is totally going a different direction now too, guys. Quarterbacks are being more mobile, being able to get out of the pocket, extending plays, still being able to deliver the ball downfield. You’ve got to have a mobile quarterback now. So I don’t know what is too much, but if we have the opportunity to get a player of his stature or something like that, we have to go for it.”
It’s hard to argue with any of Rice’s points. The NFL is such a quarterback-driven league now that finding the franchise signal caller is priority No. 1 for every team. The right player at that position can cover a lot of warts that might show up if a lesser talent was occupying it.
If Watson comes available in a trade, Rice is correct, San Francisco should be doing everything they can to try and get him to Santa Clara.
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