At the end of last month, new Texans GM Nick Caserio was adamant that disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson would be back with the team in 2021. Apparently, that wasn’t just GM-speak, as rival teams that have called Houston to discuss a Watson deal have been told that the three-time Pro Bowler is not available, as Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report.
Indeed, some executives have not even had their phone calls or text messages returned. One person close to the situation said, “[t]he goal is to get [Watson] back, period.”
But Watson still hasn’t communicated with Caserio or new head coach David Culley, even though Culley reached out to the signal-caller shortly after he was hired. So, just as the team remains firm in its position, it seems Watson remains entrenched in his.
We know that Watson’s discontent stems largely from the fact that he feels ownership misled him with respect to the team’s GM and head coaching search, and developments this week aren’t going to make him feel any better. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, Houston has continued to overhaul its staff, dismissing director of football administration Kevin Krajcovic, another longtime employee, Doug West, and equipment manager Mike Parson and his staff. Apparently, Watson and Parson had a close relationship, and Parson’s dismissal has not been well-received by players, including Watson.
The team still has some leverage in this matter, as Watson would be subject to daily fines if he stays away from minicamp or training camp, and Houston could also void his $82.5MM in remaining guarantees. On the other hand, the longer this drags out, the fewer potential suitors the Texans will have. So they need to determine quickly if the situation is salvageable, and if not, it would be in their best interest to swing a trade sooner rather than later.
I’d tell Watson to sit and mail in the fines. He choose to sign after being (supposedly) being infuriated but the Hopkins trade.
Frankly speaking, if I’m a top 7 QB under 25, and my franchise traded my best weapon and good friend for nothing, I would have come out and said I dislike the direction of the franchise and won’t ever sign here.
Watson choose to sign then complain which makes him look petty. Just my opinion. It’s easy to 2nd guess decisions later, let alone one that was over $100m in guarantees.
I mean teams sign dudes thwn drop them all the time and nobody cares because “it’s a business”. But when players do the same thing it’s a problem. Nah, just trade the dude, get back some of those picks BoB gave away and move on. They’re hurting literally everyone in this situation.
I read this all the time. All players are under contract, by NFLPA rules. All players on the roster before preseason games are under contract as are practice squad players. When teams cut down from 80 to 53, some 27 players are cut while under contract.
My whole point was Watson could have handled this issue last offseason by showing his displeasure w/ the team. He choose not to. There is responsibility for that choice. And since he did sign an extension, its not the Texans job to trade an unhappy camper.
arty! Yeah they don’t HAVE to trade him, but we’ve seen plenty of examples of sports teams trying to hold unhappy players hostage and it usually doesn’t work out. Best case scenario is he refuses to play and stays away.
Or he can embrace his inner James Harden on them and show up a bit late, mentally checkout, and start running his mouth to the media creating drama and distraction in the locker room.
It’s a divorce. Its’ gonna be ugly. I don’t know or claim to know the right answer. My entire point is both sides have a say whether or not he’s traded. Watson signed an extension and the Texans can use that as their leverage. He’s under contract! Easy enough. Or ask for 15 1st round picks. Plenty of ways to chase off the story.
Can we all agree that Watson won’t miss week 1 of the regular season? Sure, he may sit out training camp and preseason, but he’s not giving up game checks, simply too much money. Which is why he signed the extension; too much money to turn down.
The dhop trade is by far the worst trade in pro sports history, an all world receiver for nothing, your right he should’ve known not to sign but others are also right in just move on with this, Watson will play next season however I can’t imagine him putting his body on the line for those extra yards to get a first down and I doubt he’s goin to wait that split second to hit an open receiver while taking a big hit, Watson is at fault the Texans are at fault and for the love of football the Texans need to end this debacle
It’s the Texans’ job to run a successful franchise. Alienating your star QB, one of the best in football, and risking him sitting out, when you could just trade him for a crazy haul of picks, is asinine. Digging in on some stupid principle to prove a point makes zero sense and makes the team worse.
The Texans front office is an absolute clown car. Getting all offended by Watson and punishing him by not trading him does not make them a successful franchise and does not make them an attractive destination for free agents.
Jets, Jags, Bengals, Cards, Falcons, DC, NYG, Lions, Bears, & Chargers all stand out as poorly run franchises. that’s roughly a 3rd of the league listed right there. There’s a few I left off like Miami, SF & Browns that had 1 good year last year (2 years ago for SF) after 15 bad years.
Again, if the Texans get 8 players and picks, go for the trade(on their side) but how does that help Watson’s new team?
They kinda HAVE to trade him now. Sure, he’s a franchise caliber QB, but the return would be enormous and that team is in desperate need of draft picks.
You aren’t , and never will be a top qb. How about you keep another mans business out your mouth if you have no idea what his day to day experience was.
You should follow your own advice. Why are you talking or commenting on other people’s business then? Get lost.
So true
Darnold and 3 #1s. Jets could be picking in top 10 for a while. No brainer!
But what good does that do for the Jets trading 3 1’s knowing your will be drafting top 10? Texans asking price means that the other team can’t build around Watson. I don’t have a problem asking for 6+ players and picks for Watson, but how do you win making that trade?
Rams aren’t better off w/ Stafford and no high end picks for the next 3 years. From what I see, they have 3 whopping picks this year. How does that help Matt S?
No brainer for TEXANS!!!!
That’s hard to say. We all have seen enough football to know that if you don’t have a good-great QB, you’re screwed. And Watson is darn good! I would love to have his as my team’s QB, but at what cost? The final 4 teams this year had the best QB’s, simple as that.
While I agree with most of your point, I think this is a very different situation than the rams-stafford deal. The rams are in win-now mode, with the league’s top defense and a good young offensive core, except for the o-line. That move was about getting a quarterback better than goff to push them over the edge, whether it does remains to be seen. The jets dealing for watson would be about finding their QB of the future, and spending the picks it would take to do that is reason number 1 I think watson is headed to miami or whichever of the bears/colts miss out on wentz. although it is a possibility he isnt traded and sits out the season, which i hope doesnt happen. the nfl is better when deshaun watson is playing.
I agree with you except if I’m dealing for Watson, he’s my QB now, as well as the future. What is he 25? So he wouldn’t have another 1st round pick too work with until 28 (mad again as well. I would be)? It would be no different than this season for Houston. Bad line & running game, average WR’s for him to work with; ended up w/ a sub 500 season.
If I were the Jags, I’d trade the 1st pick for Watson straight up. Plenty of top 5 QB’s that failed, but not many that went to 3 straight playoffs w/ a ring like T Lawrence. But I wouldn’t even consider trading the 2nd 1st round pick plus #1 for Watson.
But the Rams still did it. So would the Jets/Dolphins.
and then flip Darnold for more picks or solid player/s
Sam and two #1,one this year,one next year.
Texans get #3, #4, and other draft picks
Atlanta gets Tua, #18, #35 from Dolphins
Dolphins get Watson.
He clearly doesn’t want to be there. Texans don’t want Watson.
That’s fine. Find a 3rd team.
Atlanta make sense as Tua immediately becomes their heir to Ryan and they get 18 and 35 to help for this year.
Texans get the 3rd and 4th overall pick. Trade back from both and stockpile draft picks for the next 3-4 years.
Dolphins get Watson.
Your trade is assuming that Atlanta would want Tua as the “heir apparent to Ryan”! So, if the Dolphins don’t feel that keeping an “heir apparent” QB who is on the cheap given the 5 year rookie salary window as compared to Watson, then why would you think the Falcons want to be saddled with him when he proves he’s not the heir apparent to Ryan….so far Tua looks to be a far cry from either Ryan or Watson….that part of trade is nebulous at best.
And what proves Tua isn’t the heir apparent to Ryan?
Based on your analysis Johnny Superscout?
Expatiate these message boards with your expertise and recounts of your expeditions where you reconnotiered talent for the NFL.
Beg to differ- I’ll bet you $1000 the Falcons don’t trade for Tua. Also, that hypothetical trade scenario is asinine. Rocky may not be Johnny Superscout but you definitely aren’t Johnny Superscout either.
I’ll bet you a billion dollars if Watson gets traded to the Dolphins Tua most likely ends up elsewhere.
Which is the point of including a 3 team trade. Reports are Texans don’t want Tua.
Personally, I say why not. Use the money saved from Watson, get him better weapons than he had in Miami, and let’s see what he can do. Reuniting him with Devonta Smith would be interesting.
I never claimed to be Johnny Superscout. Doesn’t take much brain power to look at teams with aging qbs or no qb and guess Tua could wind up there with reports saying Miami is the lead destination.
Bears, Colts, Falcons, Cowboys are teams that need a QB but don’t really have a shot at the top tier QBs in this draft.
Atlanta isn’t trading up from #4 to take Fields or Wilson. And doubt they take a QB at #4. But Ryan is getting older and they need to think about the near future. I also doubt Atlanta picks anywhere near 4th overall in the next 3 years. Brees retired and Brady may go out on top and retire with his 7th. So drafting in the teens or later next 2-3 years isn’t ideal to find your qb of the future.
Again, doesn’t take a PhD to look at everything and say Falcons make sense for Tua cause next couple years they could be out of position draft wise to get a QB.
– aging QB
– weaker division potentially as early as next year
– worse draft position potentially
IF the Texans trade him, 2 firsts won’t come close. A GM told a writer with the Chicago Tribune that for the Bears to get Watson it would take 3 firsts, 2 seconds, Roquan Smith and Jaylon Johnson. And that might not be enough.
If they void the guarantees would that reduce the cap hit? If so then it would make sense for the team to wait until he acts up before they start fielding offers. 1st year coach and gm so it’s not like their trying to compete for a title this year.
As a jet fan I want no part of Watson, last year he won 4 games with the Texans with a better squad than the Jets have now. Why trade for an elite QB when the rest of team isn’t good? So the jets win 4 games next year? The jets should use their picks to build the roster and let the Texans fix their own problems. The Jets are more than just a quarterback away. And Watson doesn’t do anything to help the other holes on the roster. It’s quick fixes like this that doom teams to being forever in the doghouse
Good call his bluff
See if he’s really going to sit out
He doesn’t need to sit out is the thing. He can show up and mentally check out. He can “pull a muscle”, or become “uncoachable” while he’s there. He has options.
I can’t understand how anyone can support that dumpster fire of an organization on this. They’re doing everything they possibly can to alienate him, and then they’re like “please don’t be mad”??? They’re either incredibly inept, or incredibly passive aggressive.
What people tend to forget Watson has a No Trade clause in his Contract so he would have to approve any Trade. Jets are out. If he don’t want to play for the Texans I’d let him go rather than cause chaos in the Locker room
The dude is overpaid given his career won/loss record (28-25). That’s basically a Mitch Trubisky or Ryan Tannehill level. Does that sound like some who is worth multiple #1 picks?.
You would have to be a complete fool to think you can get any loyalty or quality performance from an employee by using threats against him. Caserio should be listening to offers instead of trying to impress everyone with his ability to posture rigidly.