The Falcons are becoming a team to watch for Deshaun. (1:45)
According to league sources, the Atlanta Falcons have emerged as a contender in the chase of Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Falcons are one of four teams that have met with or are interested in trading for the player.
A Falcons source said that all options are open, but it is not going to be easy.
The Falcons were described as a long shot to land him. The team could have the chance to talk to him in person.
The Falcons have been committed to veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, but owner Arthur Blank has talked about eventually finding his successor and resetting the franchise's future. Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith have been given the task.
A source said that Blank is fond of the former quarterback from the days when he worked as a ball boy for the Falcons. Atlanta assistant T.J. Yates was an assistant quarterbacks coach in Houston.
Ryan's salary cap hit this year was trimmed from $48.7 million to $36.7 million, according to reports. There is no official agreement and nothing has been turned in to the league. If the Falcons trade Ryan after June 1, they could free up millions of dollars in salary-cap space. According to sources, Atlanta could try to get rid of Ryan if it acquiresWatson.
The teams that he is said to be impressed with are the Carolinas, the Saints and the Browns. The teams that have been in talks with the Texans have also been in talks with the other teams. league sources said that the parameters of any trade that would involve the quarterback are already in place.
The last piece of a potential trade would be the waiving of the no-trade clause that would allow him to be traded to another team. After requesting to be traded and being sued for sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage sessions, he did not play last season. A grand jury in Texas declined to indict him.
He answered questions on two of the 22 lawsuits filed against him during an ongoing deposition on Tuesday. When the deposition began Friday, he invoked his Fifth Amendment.
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