Latest On Texans QB Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson is still on the Houston Texans, but team chairman and CEO Cal McNair insinuated that the trade winds could change on a dime. While McNair wouldn’t rate the team’s chances of trading Watson before the November 2nd trade deadline, he did say the situation is fluid and “day-to-day.”
“We’ll just wait and see,” McNair told Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk790. “It’s a day-to-day thing. Nick is in charge of that, so we’ll see how that works out.”
Watson’s initial trade request partly stemmed from the team’s hiring of general manager Nick Caserio and coach David Culley, with the quarterback citing a lack of communication during the process. McNair was asked about the awkward position his GM and HC have been put in, noting they’ve “made the very best of it.”
“I think they’ve been put in a very tough spot, a spot that is not of their choosing and they’ve made the very best of it and sort of worked through it day to day,” McNair said. “So, we’ll see where it goes.”
Meanwhile, a new suitor could emerge in the Watson sweepstakes. While the Dolphins remain the favorite to acquire the quarterback, “some GMs believe the Saints could emerge as a darkhorse,” according to CBS’s Jason La Canfora (and passed along by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald on Twitter). Meanwhile, La Canfora reiterated that the Eagles aren’t in play for the 26-year-old.
The 2-2 Saints haven’t necessarily struggled to find the end zone, and they’re middle-of-the-road with scoring. While Jameis Winston has done an admirable job filling in for Drew Brees, the Saints also rank toward the bottom of the league in both completions and attempts. The team is clearly keeping Winston on a tight leash, and Watson would provide the Saints with a better chance to replicate the high-powered offense they had for more than a decade.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/6/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Rashod Berry, G Parker Ehinger
- Released: WR Javon McKinley
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Damon Hazelton
New England Patriots
- Signed: DB Elijah Benton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Ryquell Armstead
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: LB Christian Elliss
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL Willington Previlon
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Darrell Daniels
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return: S Ricardo Allen
Cleveland Browns
- Designated for return: LB Anthony Walker
Detroit Lions
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: K Austin Seibert
Green Bay Packers
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: CB Rasul Douglas
Houston Texans
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Zach Cunningham
- Designated to return: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis
- Signed off Browns’ practice squad: WR Davion Davis
Miami Dolphins
- Designated for return: DT Raekwon Davis
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: DL Henry Anderson (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: RB Tony Jones Jr.
New York Jets
- Designated for return: LB Blake Cashman
Texans To Waive Anthony Miller
The Texans are waiving Anthony Miller, according to Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 (Twitter link). The wide receiver will be available for the league’s other 31 teams on the waiver wire. 
The Texans traded for Miller over the summer by sending a 2022 fifth-round pick to the Bears. Since then, he’s seen time in two games for Houston, notching five grabs for 23 yards with a touchdown. The bulk of that came against the Panthers in Week 3; he was hardly a factor as the Texans got drummed 40-0 by the Bills this past week.
Miller, the No. 51 overall pick in 2018, flashed potential at times but fell flat in 2020 — he took 49 catches for just 485 yards, despite playing all 16 games. Some say that shoulder issues limited him in Chicago. Assuming he’s healthy, he should hold appeal for other clubs in need. His seven-TD rookie year wasn’t all that long ago, and he also managed 656 yards as a sophomore.
The Texans, meanwhile, have replaced him with new addition Davion Davis.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/5/21
We’ll keep tabs on today’s taxi squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: K Elliott Fry, S Shawn Williams
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Josh Malone, LB Avery Williamson
- Released: G Harry Crider, CB Rojesterman Farris
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Jake Eldrenkamp, OL Jordan Steckler
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT T.J. Smith
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Jordan Matthews
- Released: LB Curtis Bolton, RB Kerryon Johnson, RB Chris Thompson
Washington Football Team
- Signed: K Chris Blewitt, WR Damion Willis
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: DT Mike Pennel
Chicago Bears
- Waived: WR/KR Nsimba Webster
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: S Michael Thomas
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Hjalte Froholdt (from Texans’ practice squad)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Ryan McCollum (from Texans’ practice squad)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Designated for Return: LB Willie Gay
- Placed on IR: DE Joshua Kaindoh
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: CB Brandon Facyson (from Chargers’ practice squad)
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Harrison Hand
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: CB Danny Johnson, LB Jordan Kunaszyk
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/21
Here is Saturday’s batch of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: LB Dennis Gardeck
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, OL Eric Smith
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Cam Lewis
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: WR Malik Turner
- Promoted: DT Austin Faoliu, DT Justin Hamilton, RB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: LB Curtis Robinson, OL Austin Schlottmann
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: K Ryan Santoso
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Placed on IR: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (story)
Houston Texans
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, DB A.J. Moore, LB Hardy Nickerson
- Activated from IR: K Ka’imi Fairbairn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Promoted: RB Buddy Howell, LB Justin Lawler
- Waived: S J.R. Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: C Cameron Tom
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, T Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
New York Giants
- Promoted: C Jonotthan Harrison
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: S Ashtyn Davis, S Sharrod Neasman
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams
- Waived: RB Josh Adams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: OL Jack Driscoll, CB Josiah Scott
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: OT Chaz Green, WR Cody White
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DL Maurice Hurst
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, TE Codey McElroy, CB Rashard Robinson
- Waived: DL Khalil Davis
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DL Amani Bledsoe, FB Tory Carter
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/21
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Claimed (from Chargers): DL Eric Banks
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Ross Blacklock, LB Zach Cunningham
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Joe Gaziano
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: RB James White (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Sharif Finch, DT Woodrow Hamilton
Texans Waive K Joey Slye
Joey Slye‘s initial stint as the Texans’ kicker will end after three games. The Texans waived the young specialist Thursday, clearing the way for Ka’imi Fairbairn‘s return.
Houston stashed Fairbairn on IR to start the season. After three games, the team designated its longtime kicker to return. Fairbairn, who has been the Texans’ kicker since 2017, suffered a hamstring injury while warming up for Houston’s preseason finale.
The Texans picked up Slye shortly after the Panthers waived him. Slye is 4-for-5 in field goals to start his third season and 7-for-8 on extra points. The Panthers cut him to go with trade acquisition Ryan Santoso, but the team moved on from Santoso after one game. Zane Gonzalez currently serves as Carolina’s kicker.
Should Slye pass through waivers unclaimed, he could return to Houston’s practice squad. While only six teams currently carry an extra kicker on their taxi squad, the Texans opted for this strategy to start the season. The Texans initially added Slye on a P-squad deal before promoting him ahead of Week 1, though they did so knowing Fairbairn was set to miss time.
Eagles Not In Deshaun Watson Mix?
Deshaun Watson is set to go into his fourth game as a healthy scratch for the Texans, but the team is believed to be more open to making a deal. The Texans have softened their asking price for the embattled Pro Bowler.
While the Dolphins are the team most closely connected to Watson, the Eagles have been mentioned as a team monitoring the situation. Philadelphia may be stepping out of the Watson sweepstakes, however, with Fox’s Jay Glazer noting (via Twitter) the team is not currently in the mix for the three-time Pro Bowler.
The legal and civil suits in which Watson is embroiled have torpedoed his trade value, with suitors understandably leery about the quarterback’s availability. The Eagles do have the draft capital to make an interesting offer. Philly has two 2022 first-rounders and would collect a third if Carson Wentz plays 75% of the Colts’ snaps this season. Even if Wentz falls below that threshold, that pick would become a second-rounder in ’22.
Philly also has uncertainty at quarterback. After a strong start, Jalen Hurts‘ audition season has hit an early rough patch. This trend continuing will link the Eagles to the 2022 first-round QB prospects, though that group has not generated the kind of hype the 2020 or 2021 classes did. While the Eagles would make sense as a Watson suitor, the Dolphins may be readier to make a deal before this year’s deadline. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is believed to be behind a Watson trade, even amid the off-field trouble.
This year’s trade deadline is Nov. 2. The Texans would seemingly benefit by hanging onto Watson throughout this season and committing to trade him in the offseason, when more clarity emerges on his availability. If the Eagles are stepping back on a possible 2021 trade, the Dolphins would be in position to benefit — if they are indeed willing to part with notable capital to acquire Watson without knowing what punishment will come to pass.