Deshaun Watson wants out of Houston, and the Texans are said to have moved on from their embattled quarterback. However, GM Nick Caserio has put a very high price on Watson. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Caserio is asking for a combination of five high draft picks and quality players in any Watson deal (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
Although no team will pony up that kind of offer while Watson’s status remains so uncertain, Caserio can afford to wait out the process. Watson’s $10.54MM salary for 2021 is not untenable, especially for a club that will not be competing for a playoff spot. If Watson ends up on the Commissioner’s Exempt list until his legal situation is resolved, Houston would be paying him that salary to sit on the sidelines, but even that wouldn’t be a big deal for Caserio. As Volin observes, the rookie GM would happily pay out that money this year in order to maximize his return in a Watson trade in 2022.
Volin also notes that the team is taking efforts to protect its biggest trade chip. Watson reported to training camp to avoid the $50K daily fines mandated by the CBA, but his participation in practices has been light. He has been held out of team drills, and he worked as a scout team safety at one point.
Meanwhile, Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing the 22 women who have filed sexual assault/sexual misconduct suit against Watson, issued a definitive denial of reports suggesting that the NFL has not been given access to speak to many of his clients.
“To suggest the NFL hasn’t got enough information or has not been provided access, that’s just demonstrably false. I think if you ask the NFL directly they would have to admit that,” Buzbee said (via Mark Berman of Fox 26). “I don’t know who the sources are or what they’re saying, but I do know my staff has spent many, many, many hours voluntarily, because the NFL asked us to, and these women have went out of their way to provide information.”
I just don’t see him playing this year. No way he’s traded this year either. For now… there’s no reason for the NFL to move quickly on any suspension decision. Once we get closer to the opening of the season is when I think we will hear a decision. But I can’t see any team trading for him until more details are out. And certainly not for the ransom being reported here
The NFL never moves quickly on this stuff and there is no consistency in how they handle them.
I don’t think he plays until the case ends either, asking for a Ben Simmons return on someone facing 22 sexual lawsuits, these sports teams are trippin more than Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock
The Texans are a laughing stock. They had a chance to compete and blue it with a ridiculous head coach, then made him in charge of personnel.
The fact they know this is ongoing and are asking for a package they may not have even received prior to all this shows that they live in an alternate universe to everyone else.
It’s a terribly run franchise.
He gonna be worth more once he clears the legal issues. U talking franchise qb. U know how many tickets he sells?
He only worth maybe hurts plus a #1 #2 .. too much risk
Hilarious
Oh does Hurts have 22 sexual assaults also? If so then I agree … I wouldn’t trade a 3rd round pick straight up for D-sexy
Bs. Hurts not in same league. He gonna go for way more once this legal bs clears. U talking 3 1’s, 3 2’s + 2 starters. Most important position in the team. 3 pro bowls, national highlights every weekend.
Lol
Watson is the Simmons of the nfl….minus the legal issues of course.
A team that is asking double if not triple what he’s worth.
Of course he gonna get it. Guy s a beast. Just wait till draft day comes around. They gonna get much more
Caserio thinks he’s going to get five high draft picks for a player who is almost as toxic as Kaepernick was? Good luck with that.
Didn’t kaep steal Aldons girlfriend get benched for Blaine gabbert made a big fking stink about kneeling for the flag maybe he should kneeled for the 13/52
The only high price surrounding this guy should be what masseuses charge when they see him walking up
There’s no right answer for this. I don’t think the GM is out of line asking for a ransom for a 25 year old stud QB.
But….his personal decision making makes it hard to get that haul. I think he’ll sit for 6 weeks and can be traded by the trade deadline. Philly is my guess.
I think he ultimately ends up in 2 places … first would be prison , if he avoids that then Carolina once they figure out it wasn’t just the Jets.
Multi millionaires pay off debts, no prison time will happen. Look at AB, pay pay pay & can play play play.
Nothing has been filed against him as criminal. Only civil. Meaning no jail time.
There is a criminal investigation currently on-going, but you are correct, no charges filed as of TODAY.
Attitudes in the country have undergone a significant shift in the past year to the point where teams can’t even use the words Redskins or Indians. I think that attitude extends into areas of sexual misconduct as well. Watson is still way too hot for other teams to touch without receiving a huge backlash from both fans and sponsors. I’d be surprised to see him playing at all this season.
I’ll take that bet. Watson sells and that’s also important to the league.
No doubt, there will be a public lashing the from the NFL office and from the trading team “DeShaun knows what he did was wrong and working to make himself a better man. He has started a new charity for women…..blah’.
He’ll play.
@crosseye. Absolutely. Watson needs a PRM to diffuse his image. Be contrite.
But for a guy not smart enough to hire a full time masseuse (if innocent), or that devious to hire these IG girls to do exactly what so many have accused him of, he’s not bright enough to get a PR firm to clean it up.
It sounds like you have an issue with people who aren’t exactly like yourself (who is evidently not very bright)….
That’s crazy talk…..
Texans just asking for the world for Watson so they can have their happy ending too
It’s crazy how an organization can fabricate this whole situation using rich, powerful white men to completely derail this man’s career, – to this point – his image and a large portion of his best years as a human being. This scenario is severely unjust, tony Buzbee is complete scum! How can the public not recognize this?? If Watson was a sexual tyrant like the claims suggest, wouldn’t the public know about it by now?
That’s funny, almost had us there for a minute. Satire like this is hilarious.
Explain yourself.
I think we found Watsons fake account.
I think we found some people who were at the Capitol on January 6th. Lmfao
Any team trading for this pervert should be ashamed.
Anybody associating with an unintelligent, unabashed sycophant like yourself should be ashamed.
Texans, the value of your franchise QB isn’t going to get better when he’s suspended for 8 games and teams don’t trade for QBs mid season.
No the value will improve once draft day comes again and he settles the cases. Just watch the frenzy once he settles. Weekly highlights.
it will never be what they are apparently asking.