Washington Trade for Deshaun Watson? Coach Ron Rivera Opens Up on Rumors

Ron Rivera: “This organization will be able to do what it needs to do, OK? And that’s all I’m going to say on that.”

Coach Ron Rivera cannot speak publicly about a Washington Football Team trade for Deshaun Watson; that would be tampering.

But he can - and is - speaking generally about why a player like Deshaun Watson would like to play in a place like Washington.

“Why not? Why wouldn’t they come here?'' Rivera said this week in a radio interview on "The Sports Junkies,'' responding to the hosts' suggestion that top-flight QB wouldn't be attracted to coming to D.C.

The hosts cited an assortment of Washington problems, to which Rivera responded: "What cures all that? Winning.''

Asked specifically about Watson, destined to be traded this offseason by the Houston Texans, the WFT coach didn’t hesitate to make upbeat noises about the concept - at least generally.

Said Rivera: “This organization will be able to do what it needs to do, OK? And that’s all I’m going to say on that.”

That is all he can say, really - though the coach didn't need to say even that much. How much is Rivera speaking generally? How much is he speaking out of pride over what he is building in Washington? How much has he changed his mind from a year ago, when his view was essentially that the franchise shouldn't overpay in a trade?

Watson still has his legal issues and Houston still wants its three first-round picks in trade. Rivera isn't exactly giving the trade scenario any guaranteed thumbs-up. But his open discussion about the idea indicates an open mind ... making a Washington Football Team connection with Watson worth monitoring.