NFL Trade Rumors: Why Dolphins should stay away from Deshaun Watson trade

Deshaun Watson's trade request may be granted in the coming weeks.

The Miami Dolphins are interested in acquiring the Houston Texans quarterback, who's been away from practice during the entire training camp despite reporting to the facility. Watson asked to be traded after becoming disillusioned by the direction the franchise is heading in.

The Texans want three first-round picks and two second-round picks for the quarterback, and it looks like the Dolphins may be open to giving up a king's ransom to acquire Watson's services.

Thread. Sources tell @yahoosports the #Dolphins have emerged as the frontrunner in trade discussions with the #Texans for QB Deshaun Watson. The Texans are seeking 3 first-round picks and 2 second-round picks in negotiations, according to a team that dropped out of trade talks.

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) August 28, 2021

Even though Miami has the draft capital to make the deal happen, the worst thing the Dolphins can do in the coming weeks is trade for Watson. Here's why.

Deshaun Watson's legal issues

Any team willing to trade for Watson knows that the quarterback could face legal consequences stemming from the sexual assault allegations made against him by more than 20 women.

Watson could be fined or suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy, but as of now, the NFL is yet to act on this front. The league is likely waiting for the results of the lawsuits before taking any action.

Three first-round picks and more for a player whose future is in question is incredibly high risk and the negotiations will reflect that.

hm. maybe just hold off on trading for the guy with 20+ accusations of sexual harassment/assault so you don’t have to put yourself in this situation

— charles (crying online) mcdonald (@FourVerts) August 28, 2021

The Dolphins shouldn't risk so much of their future for a player who may be facing a lengthy ban, even if the assets they part ways with are protected.

Tua Tagovailoa's play is evolving

When the Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, it was the most significant step in a rebuild that ideally should have taken a season or two. But head coach Brian Flores proved he could shorten the timeline.

It's undeniable that Tagovailoa had a disappointing first season. But it was largely because he was put in a challenging situation in his rookie season after sitting on the sidelines for months due to an injury and having no training camp.

Atlanta Falcons v Miami Dolphins

It's unwise to take definite lessons from the preseason, but Tua now looks like a much better quarterback. He's comfortable dealing with pressure, is stepping up into his throws and isn't apprehensive about throwing the ball deep when an opportunity presents.

The Dolphins should use their draft picks to improve the roster around Tua. The best thing Miami can do this offseason is stray clear of the Deshaun Watson drama and stick with Tua Tagovailoa.