Amari Cooper?

[TheRainMaker]

Idiotic trade by Cleveland. Only reason Cooper doesn't mind going to Cleveland is to keep his current salary.

 

[venecol]

It's funny that CLE gets Copper for a 5th but people expect Harry to yield what? 2025 7th?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

If Watson refuses to be traded, he'll still get paid, and he'll still be on the books.

Yes. Just like Watson still got paid and was on the books for Houston in 2021. No difference if Watson refuses a trade in 2022.

 

[mgteich]

Yes. Just like Watson still got paid and was on the books for Houston in 2021. No difference if Watson refuses a trade in 2022.

Sure Watson can get paid, and perhaps show up in HOU is July or even SEPT (accepting some penalties for missing training).

HOU has zero option. They want the cap room off their books before the season starts.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Watson has. $35 million base salary this year. That hamstrings the Texans during free agency. And he can half arse it all season and collect his money. He could go the entire season throwing 30 balls a game and never completing a pass. His salary is guaranteed. So I don’t even know if they suspend him for conduct detrimental to the team if that lets them off the hook for his salary during the suspension. And there is a limit of the number of games that a team can suspend a player which I think is two or three.

That is enough incentive for Houston to trade him to where he wants. They don’t want to pay him $35 million this season after eating $10 million last year.

It is a game of chicken like most negotiations. Houston can pay Watson like they did in 2021. Watson needs to start over, be a model citizen, etc. Watson does not want to sit out in Houston under a contract dispute about where he is being traded. Watson is damaged goods and "kicking and screaming" about his trade destination will not help him. No-one is going to view Cleveland like Jacksonville - Cleveland with Cooper, a decent OL, and Chubb is at worst an OK landing spot.

Any negotiation has two sides. Watson is in need of a repaired reputation so it is in his interest to be cooperative. Can he refuse a trade? Of course. Is it in his interest? Not if it is a decent or better landing spot. I think Cleveland is decent.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Sure Watson can get paid, and perhaps show up in HOU is July or even SEPT (accepting some penalties for missing training).

HOU has zero option. They want the cap room off their books before the season starts.

Watson has zero options as well. Watson needs to repair his reputation - a holdout could possibly fatal wound that. See my note above to Rob. There are always two sides in any negotiation.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

It's funny that CLE gets Copper for a 5th but people expect Harry to yield what? 2025 7th?

Harry can be released after one last year paying out his rookie contract. Apples to oranges comparing Harry and Copper.

 

[TheRainMaker]

It's funny that CLE gets Copper for a 5th but people expect Harry to yield what? 2025 7th?

I'd trade him for free...and I have my doubts a team would agree to that trade.

 

[venecol]

Harry can be released after one last year paying out his rookie contract. Apples to oranges comparing Harry and Copper.

Trading Harry vs cutting him saves about $700k more in cap if you can find a trade partner.

Not sure how it's different than Cooper in that both moves would be to save cap space by getting rid of a WR not wanted.

I know one thing, I doubt we can get a game ready #1 receiver with our #5 pick.

 

[mgteich]

Harry can be released after one last year paying out his rookie contract. Apples to oranges comparing Harry and Copper.

CLE got a 5th and reduced their cap.

NEP might trade Harry for a 7th and reduce their cap.
=========
When one sees the reason for the trades, they are indeed somewhat similar.

 

[Deus Irae]

Watson has zero options as well. Watson needs to repair his reputation - a holdout could possibly fatal wound that. See my note above to Rob. There are always two sides in any negotiation.

Watson's only 26. Neither refusing a trade nor holding out is going to be fatal to his career. He'll still be sought after.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Trading Harry vs cutting him saves about $700k more in cap if you can find a trade partner.

Not sure how it's different than Cooper in that both moves would be to save cap space by getting rid of a WR not wanted.

I know one thing, I doubt we can get a game ready #1 receiver with our #5 pick.

Getting cooper for a fifth or drafting rohrwasser in the fifth rd seems similar value

 

[PatsFan2]

I'd trade him for free...and I have my doubts a team would agree to that trade.

We all know BB loves good value but the returns on some of his Draft picks or lack their of is mind boggling for fomer First Rounders.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I

CLE got a 5th and reduced their cap.

NEP might trade Harry for a 7th and reduce their cap.
=========
When one sees the reason for the trades, they are indeed somewhat similar.

If the NEP trade Harry it is not to create cap space, it is because he is a bust. Copper was not traded because he is a bust but to create cap space. I guess Cooper and Harry are both WRs so that is somewhat similar.

 

[PScottman]

Cooper doesn't mind going to Cleveland is to keep his current salary.

Even with high gas prices, with his #1WR salary he can be a commuter to work and live wherever he wants outside of Cleveland.

 

[Rob0729]

It is a game of chicken like most negotiations. Houston can pay Watson like they did in 2021. Watson needs to start over, be a model citizen, etc. Watson does not want to sit out in Houston under a contract dispute about where he is being traded. Watson is damaged goods and "kicking and screaming" about his trade destination will not help him. No-one is going to view Cleveland like Jacksonville - Cleveland with Cooper, a decent OL, and Chubb is at worst an OK landing spot.

Any negotiation has two sides. Watson is in need of a repaired reputation so it is in his interest to be cooperative. Can he refuse a trade? Of course. Is it in his interest? Not if it is a decent or better landing spot. I think Cleveland is decent.

But you act like Cleveland is the only team that is going to pursue Watson. There are going to be three to five teams pursuing a trade. Why would the Texans play a game of chicken with Watson to trade him to Cleveland when teams like Tampa, Carolina, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and/or Miami are offering similar trade packages?

It isn't like the Texans are invested on sending Watson to Cleveland. They want to get Watson off the books as fast as possible with the best deal they can get. If he refuses to go to Cleveland, they will have other options to unload him. You are describing a situation where Cleveland is the only team willing to trade for Watson.

Watson will have a lot of say which team he ends up on because he is a hot commodity with a no trade clause. He can force the Texans to trade him to Seattle or Miami because all the offers will be similar and they would rather get Watson off the books as quickly as possible rather than have this drag out for months or even into the regular season.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

But you act like Cleveland is the only team that is going to pursue Watson.

No I don't - I do not act like that at all. No idea why you even say that. Really weird.

 

[Pape]

Yes. Just like Watson still got paid and was on the books for Houston in 2021. No difference if Watson refuses a trade in 2022.

huge difference in watsons contract between 2021 and 2022 ... 2022 is the first year the new money kicks in on his contract... its one thing to eat 10 million for a year and carrying a 40 million dollar cap hit for a guy who wont play...

gives a lot of leverage to watson

 

[Rob0729]

No I don't - I do not act like that at all. No idea why you even say that. Really weird.

Because you saying it is a game of chicken between the Texans and Watson and the Texans can just wait Watson out and say they will pay him again this season. But it isn’t. Watson can refuse to play for one of his many suitors and the Texans have no other option by to remove them from the list of teams they negotiate a trade.

And there is a huge difference to pay Watson to sit for $10 million and to pay him to sit for $35 million.