Deshaun Watson Rumors: Texans Plan To Block Quarterback’s Trade Request, Setting Up Potential Showdown
Deshaun Watson may not get the trade request he’s seeking from the Houston Texans after all, new reports indicate.
Watson reportedly asked the team for a trade after a major falling out with the front office, with the Pro Bowl quarterback reportedly upset over the direction of the team. But Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Twitter that general manager Nick Caserio would not honor the request, instead saying that the team saw him as their quarterback of the future.
“Organizationally, I just want to reiterate our commitment to Deshaun Watson,” Caserio said, via NFL.com.
“He’s had a great impact on this organization, a great impact on a lot of people, a great impact on this team, and we look forward to the opportunity to spend more time with him here this spring once we get started.”
As Yahoo Sports noted, new Texans head coach David Culley expressed similar sentiments, saying that having Watson as quarterback was one of the major selling points when he took the job.
While it’s not clear if the public statements could be a smokescreen to hide their intentions or potentially drive a higher price for him, there are indications that the Texans could have some leverage if the front office chooses to force him to stay. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Houston has the power to fine the signal caller $95,877 for missing the offseason minicamp and could dock him another $50,000 every day that he misses training camp, plus an additional $620,000 for every preseason game that he misses.
If Watson chooses to play hardball with the Texans and retire, the club would be able to collect $21.6 million, Schefter reported on Twitter.
Despite the public assurances that Watson remains part of the plans going forward, there are reports that potential suitors are putting together enticing offers. As The Inquisitr reported, the New York Jets were seen as one of the most likely trade partners, with the franchise able to offer a series of draft picks that would include the No. 2 overall selection this year. The upcoming draft is seen as deep with quarterbacks, and the selection would allow the Texans to take a player who could become a franchise signal caller, doing so on a rookie salary that gives the franchise more room to rebuild.
There have been a number of others connected to Watson, including the Miami Dolphins, another franchise that has some attractive draft capital that could be used in a deal.
