Houston Texans: Should They Trade J.J. Watt For A Tony Romo Package?
With NFL free agency looming, a growing Houston Texans rumor of a straight up trade of J.J. Watt for Tony Romo appears to be gathering some steam lately.
With NFL free agency looming, a growing Houston Texans rumor of a straight up trade of J.J. Watt for Tony Romo appears to be gathering some steam lately.
This all stemmed from a hot take made by Fox Sports NFL Analyst Cris Carter in late January.
He was appearing on FS1’s “Undisputed,” proposing that a draft pick and Romo should be packaged for Watt.
Take a deep breath, Houston Texans fans!
I’m not thrilled about this idea, either. Certainly, both J.J. Watt and Tony Romo have been staples for their respective franchises for a while.
However, it cannot be denied that both of these players are injury prone. And to add insult to their injury history, neither have factored into the playoff runs that both the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans have had recently.
So with both players being needed by the opposite team, can a straight up trade of J.J. Watt for Tony Romo be realistic or worth it? Well, yes and no. Let’s examine both the pros and cons of a potential move such as this.
1. Why this trade of Watt for Romo could work.
The Dallas Cowboys came just shy of the NFC Championship, suffering a one and done loss to the Green Bay Packers. Their problem: THE DEFENSE!
On the flip side of the coin, the Houston Texans nearly eliminated the now Super Bowl Champion, New England Patriots. Their problem: THE OFFENSE!
Brock Osweiler is just not cutting it. Yes, the bank was broke to get him from Denver. But as of now, it’s been an all-for-not lost cause. Romo could fix that for the Texans.
As for the Cowboys, Watt’s leadership as a defensive end and captain for that side of the ball could be just the thing that catapults the boys in silver and blue back on a path towards another Lombardi Trophy.
2. Why this trade of Watt for Romo won’t work.
The injury history of these two, as mentioned earlier, is the biggest point of concern.
For Romo, most especially. Three of his last four seasons has seen him spend extensive stays on the injured reserve. The biggest problem has been in his back.
As for Watt, the nagging problem with his leg may prove troublesome. There are even questions as to whether or not he would be ready by the start of camp later this summer.
Neither athlete has a very friendly contract. Romo is guaranteed $54 million over the next three seasons until the end of 2019. Watt is a little more friendlier, but still comes at a price tag of $34.5 million over that same time period.
Next: Tony Romo Has The Texans On His 'Wish List'
Additionally, Watt is signed through another two seasons longer than Romo, and due a minimum of $33 million through 2021.
Logic dictates that Watt should be kept around on that basis alone. However, after 2019, the defensive end is going to start costing the Houston Texans.
Hold onto your hats, Texans fans!
Like anything else in sports, rumors remain rumors until something actually happens.
There is no telling what moves the team will actually make. But it is clear that the offense needs the most upgrade.
Romo has even mentioned the Texans as a team on his “wish list” of places to be traded to.
Fans in Houston need not reject the idea entirely.
So do you sacrifice your franchise defensive player to get a past-his-prime quarterback to boost the offense?
Or do you stick with what you already have?
Only time will tell!