Former Clemson Tigers Superstar Named as Potenetial Trade Candidate This Offseason

The Clemson Tigers and head coach Dabo Swinney have shown an ability to develop superstar college quarterbacks throughout Swinney's tenure with the program.

From Tahj Boyd and Trevor Lawrence to the current signal caller Cade Klubnik, Swinney has proven to have an eye for gunslingers that could stem from his time as a wide receiver with the Alabama Crimson Tide under Gene Stallings.

While those quarterbacks have been successful at the collegiate level, few have been able to have an extended period of success in the NFL, despite some being taken early in the NFL draft.

One collegiate standout whose ability has failed to translate consistently at the next level is former Tigers superstar Deshaun Watson.

Watson helped lead Clemson to their first of two National Championships this century while finishing his career with the second-most passing yards in program history (10,163) and the second-most passing touchdowns (90).

His career in the NFL began well enough after being taken with the number 12 overall pick by the Houston Texans. The signal caller would spend the first four years of his career with the Texans, amassing 14,539 yards, 104 passing touchdowns, and only 36 interceptions while leading the team to a 28-25 record as the starter.

A myriad of off-field legal (and moral) issues would see Watson miss the 2021 campaign, and the former Tiger would be traded to the Cleveland Browns in the 2021-22 offseason.

In three seasons since being traded, Watson has played in only 19 games, throwing for only 3,365 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The on-field struggles have seen the franchise grow tired of the quarterback of late, and Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus recently listed Watson as a trade candidate in the coming offseason.

"The Browns seem to be giving Watson one last chance to prove himself, but that doesn’t mean Cleveland won’t finally cut the cord once and for all," writes Locker. "Whether through the draft or free agency, general manager Andrew Berry is poised to add another legitimate signal-caller — and it wouldn’t be a shocker if that newcomer supplants Watson."

"In his three seasons in Cleveland, Watson has never exceeded a 66.8 season-long passing grade. More specifically, he’s notched a single-game overall grade of 80.0 or better in only one of 19 games as a Brown. There’s little defense to even restarting the Watson engine one more time — and a high chance that the Browns move on soon."

"The caveat with moving Watson is that the Browns would almost definitely need to do so later in the offseason. According to Over the Cap, Cleveland would incur $26.9 million in dead cap in both 2025 and 2026 if trading Watson after June 1; that number climbs all the way to $80.7 million in 2025 alone if before that date. That could actually work in the organization’s favor, allowing a competition to play out before making a final verdict."

This would be the second time in four years that Watson has been traded should it come to pass, and his next landing spot could be as a backup with the on-field struggles he has had over the last few years.

October 20, 2024, could mark the last time Deshaun Watson starts a game as a quarterback in the NFL. We are not far from being able to close the book on his professional career and chalk him up as another Clemson quarterback who was a superstar in college, and a superdud as a professional.