The Houston Texans have been all over the news lately but not exactly for the best reasons. Superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson expressed his desire to leave but now, he’s not even a lock to play in the NFL this season.
Watson is facing nearly two dozens of civil lawsuits due to alleged sexual misconduct. And even though the league has yet to take a strong stance on his situation and put him in paid leave, it’s clear that they won’t allow him to play until (if) the dust settles.
That’s put the Texans in a tough spot, especially given the fact that they already turned down offers from the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles,among other teams for the Clemson product.
Report: The Houston Texans Will Hold On To Deshaun Watson
And, given the uncertainty on his future and the fact that his trade value has taken a major dip due to his current situation, Peter King beleives that there’s just no way that Nick Caserio will let him go at a discount:
(Transcript via Peter King and Sports Illustrated)
“That brings us back to Caserio. With all due respect to J.J. Watt, whatever Caserio does here will be the first franchise-shifting move he makes in a job he worked two decades to get. If he takes less, and Watson is cleared legally in a couple of months, then he’s traded away a 25-year-old franchise quarterback with five years left on his contract at a cut rate.
So, then, what’s the rush to move Watson? Caserio doesn’t owe Watson anything, nor does he owe other NFL teams the chance to acquire him. The argument that it’ll make things awkward for David Culley and the coaches, or Tyrod Taylor and the quarterbacks, is fair. But those guys have already rode that out for six weeks.
The cost for hanging on to Watson for the season would be $10.54 million. The cost for holding on to him past Tuesday would be the 53rd player on the roster.
Bottom line, given Caserio is in his first year as a GM, and given what the haul for Watson would’ve been in January or February, that cost is small in comparison to what a trade should bring for a player like this.”
Simply put, the Texans and Watson are stuck with each other right now. Deshaun knows that the only way he’s getting paid this season is by staying in Houston, and the Texans would rather pay him not to play than let him go for less than his trade value.
