North Gwinnett News

The Atlanta Falcons have entered the chase for on-the-move quarterback DeShawn Watson, joining a handful of other teams across the league that are seeking his services.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapport tweeted Wednesday, sharing a video discussing the timeline for Watson’s trade. Among comments, he said Watson is not done meeting with teams and will eventually waive his no-trade clause to the team or teams of his choice to work out the best deal possible.

“Deshaun Watson will meet with the #Falcons today, so let's take a look at what's next," Rapport wrote in his tweet.

The Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints are also among teams in hot pursuit of Watson, according to a March 15 report by ESPN. While one source has claimed the Falcons are a “long shot” to land the Texans’ quarterback, an in-person meeting may give the team an opportunity to persuade him further.

This comes as the Falcons recently restructured the contract of veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, reducing his salary cap hit this season by more than $12 million. Though the team has remained committed to Ryan, ESPN reports that Falcons owner Arthur Blank has forward discussions about eventually finding his successor and “resetting the franchise’s future.”

Trading Ryan after June 1 would free up $8.75 million worth of salary-cap space, ESPN reports, and securing Watson could lead to the quarterback’s departure. 

Watson still faces 22 lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions, though a grand jury in recently Texas declined to pursue criminal charges, the report states. This, alongside an offseason request to be traded, resulted in Watson sitting out of the last season.