The Houston Texans saw this coming in October 2017, when then-rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson took the league by storm, throwing 16 touchdowns in a four-game span. In his next two seasons, he led the Texans to consecutive division titles.
Entering his fourth year, Watson is eligible to be paid like a long-term franchise quarterback.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, several league executives believe Watson will be the next NFL quarterback to get a megadeal and reset the bar for contracts, which currently is $35 million annually, set by the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson in April 2019.