The big question around the NFL last season was whether the Houston Texans were going to trade Deshaun Watson.Now, the question isn’t if but when will it happen and where will he play next season.
Unsurprisingly, Watson drew league-wide interest among QB-needy teams after the news broke that he wouldn’t face criminal charges. And even though the league could still suspend him, that seems unlikely at this point.
That’s why the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers all reached out to him to make their pitch. Now, it’s up to him to decide for which team he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause.
NFL Rumors: Deshaun Watson Was Quite Impressed With All Teams
“Texans quarterbackDeshaun Watsonhas met with four teams in the past two days — the Saints, Panthers, Browns, and Falcons. He was impressed by every presentation,” Mike Florio of ProFoobtallTalk reported. “For each franchise, the owner, General Manager, and coach personally attended.”
There’s No Timetable For His Decision
Notably, not even those who arecloser to Watson seem to know where his next landing spot will be. Apparently, he’s ‘incredibly torn’ and there’s no timetable for him to make a decision about his future:
(Transcript via Mike Florio)
“He’s ‘incredibly torn,’ a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT. There’ no timetable for the decision. He could, as the source put it, wake up in the morning with a choice made. He also could take a few days.
There’s also a chance that more teams will get involved. The Texans are screening all interested teams, requiring them to propose acceptable trade terms before they are authorized to meet with Watson. If another team meets Houston’s specifications, and if Watson is willing to do it, a sit-down could occur.”
Watson’s reputationmay be stained forever after his sexual misconduct scandal. But there’s no one who can deny thatfootball-wise; he’s still one of the best, most impactful players in the league.
