Between two Monday Night Football games in 2020 and a long-standing relationship with Matt Nagy, Louis Riddick knows the Bears. And because of the Riddick-Nagy dynamic, I find myself tuned into whatever he has to say about Chicago’s football team.
So when Riddick has this conversation online:
🐻 ⬇️ …🤔 https://t.co/EplcZDP2r6
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) January 21, 2021
Matt Nagy wasn’t in Chicago when he came out. He was still in KC. This isn’t just Pace’s show anymore…
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) January 21, 2021
And says this to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg:
“I can tell you this: Matt Nagy loves Deshaun Watson. I know he loves Watson. You think right now he isn’t trying to figure out a way to get in the mix for that discussion. I guarantee you he is. I guarantee. Guarantee.”
I’m interested. In fact, I’m beyond interested. I’m at the edge of my seat waiting for the next update. It would be easy for me to say “don’t get your hopes up” or think up all the reasons why it can’t or won’t happen. But instead, I want to simplify what we’ve read above. So stay with me for a moment.
Because I see and hear Riddick’s words, and interpret the situation as follows: The Bears are going to make a push for Deshaun Watson. And sure, those in charge in Chicago passed on Watson in 2017 are still around. However, the quarterback evaluation structure is different than when John Fox, Dowell Loggains, and Dave Ragone led the think tank. Say what you want about the trio of Nagy, Bill Lazor, and John DeFilippo, but those three are more steeped in quarterback knowledge than their respective predecessors. Moreover, Watson and Nagy have a prior existing relationship that dates back to the 2017 pre-draft process. Nagy should know Watson intimately based on the conversations the two had leading into the draft.
So if Watson were to be initially put-off by the Bears’ interest because of what happened (or didn’t happen) in 2017, a simple counter to that is to point out that a fair chunk of the people in place are no longer in charge. Or as Riddick put it: “This isn’t just Pace’s show anymore.”
All of this to say that acquiring Watson won’t be easy. Watson hasn’t publicly requested to be dealt. And if/when he does, has a no-trade clause he can wield at any time. Once (if? when?) Watson clears that hurdle, then we need to consider what will be a crowded field of suitors wanting to pry Watson away from Houston. The Bears have the obvious need and the stench of desperation, which are two reasons as to why they’re a sleeper team in this sweepstakes. But they don’t have the trade capital like a team like the Jets or Dolphins. So if the Texans like a package either of those teams can put out there, and Watson wants to take his talents to New York or Miami, then Chicago’s interest and desire in getting a deal done is moot.
We have ample time to explore trade partners, assets needed make a deal, and more later. In the meantime, we need to pay attention to (1) what’s happening in Houston and (2) any and all mentions of Chicago as a destination. It starts with Riddick, who is as clued into the Bears as anyone. More than that, he’s really tapped into Nagy’s thinking. It hasn’t always gone as planned. But when a prominent somebody with Riddick’s ties speaks, we should listen. That’s what an Obsessive Watson Watch is all about, after all.