Deshaun Watson’s trade request from the Texans becomes official
The time has come — Deshaun Watson is officially out on the Houston Texans.
Houston, you now have a big problem that now permanent.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has officially asked for a trade request from the franchise. The news comes mere hours after the team announced the hiring of Baltimore Ravens coach David Culley to the new head coaching position.
Multiple reports indicated that the hiring of any coach, no matter the candidate would eventually lead to Watson wanting out of NRG Stadium. After the firing of Bill O’Brien, owner Cal McNair and executive Jack Easterby stated that the team would consider Watson’s input for the upcoming moves made this offseason.
Deshaun Watson officially has requested a trade from the Houston Texans, per league sources. He actually did it weeks ago. Their new head-coaching hire, David Culley, has not and will not alter Watson’s thinking.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 28, 2021
Instead, Easterby went behind the franchise’s back and hired Nick Caserio, a former New England Patriots executive who worked with Easterby is Foxborough.
The Texans have received multiple calls over the past several weeks with trade offers from other teams. The team has stated multiple times that they have no intention of trading Watson this offseason.
Will Watson be traded this upcoming offseason?
Watson signed a four-year deal for $156 million this past season to keep him in Houston until 2025. He also signed a no-trade clause that would not be waived until permitted by the 25-year-old. However, during his vacation, Watson sent a plethora of cryptic texts, potentially meaning he would like out of the franchise that drafted him 12th overall in 2017.
The question now turns to what will the Texans be offered for Watson’s services. A player of his caliber will drive a hard bargain on the open market and the Texans will have to play hardball to get what they believe he is owed. A lone first-round pick won’t be enough to call it a day.
Then again, it is the Texans we’re talking about here. They traded away DeAndre Hopkins for nothing.
The Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets have been at the forefront of the conversation. With their cap space and multiple draft picks, perhaps the two parties could swing a deal that would become official when the new season begins on March 17.
Deshaun Watson hasn’t spoken to new Texans general manager Nick Caserio nor executive Jack Easterby. Watson is moving on and waiting to see where his NFL future takes him. https://t.co/heLvCjpEXu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 28, 2021
Watson’s days in NRG seem to be numbered. The Texans only have themselves to blame.