The saga between the Houston Texans and their star quarterback Deshaun Watson continues to boil over.
Watson was the Texans first-round draft pick in the 2017 NFL draft and is their starting quarterback. He is just 25-years-old but is already considered one of the NFL’s premier and most marketable players. Watson posted MVP quality stats in 2020, as he has done each season of his career. He completed just over 70 percent of his passes, throwing for 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. His overall quarterback rating on the season was 112.4, which is one of the top marks in the league.
The Texans made a commitment to Deshaun Watson by making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. He signed a four year deal worth $156 million, including a $27 million signing bonus.
Despite receiving the hefty contract, Watson has expressed his displeasure in the team and has requested a trade. His anger allegedly stems from the lack of input he has had in finding the team’s new head coach. The team just recently hired former Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver coach David Culley as their top man.
Now, the team’s General Manager, Nick Caserio, says the Texans are dedicated to keeping him.
“Organizationally, we want to reiterate our commitment to Deshaun Watson,” the Texans GM says. “We have zero interest in trading the player.”
Deshaun Watson Could Encourage Texans to Trade Him
While the final decision to trade Watson will be up to Cesario and other team personnel, Watson may force their hand. One option the quarterback has is to sit out the upcoming 2021 NFL season. It would cost Watson a lot of money to do so but it may be enough to push the team into an acceptable trade. Several NFL teams have been forced to trade players who chose to sit out games instead of suiting up and playing.
One thing that could persuade the team to trade their star quarterback is the bounty they would receive in return. Many league circles believe that NFL teams would part with multiple first-round draft picks, later round draft picks and quality players to get Watson on their team.
