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Quarterback Deshaun Watson hasn't played in a regular season game in the National Football League in a full calendar year. After the 2020 NFL season, the quarterback requested a trade from the Houston Texans and then a short time later, 22 women filed legal cases against him, causing a delay in any move from the team.
With the impending litigation, NFL teams are apprehensive of acquiring Watson and giving up a significant number of draft picks or other players, considering they don't get to utilize him on the field if the NFL does in fact suspend him.
The Miami Dolphins were said to be the closest to completing a trade for Deshaun Watson but were reportedly not in agreement with the asking price for a quarterback with so many unknowns.
According to The Athletic, the Houston Texans' return is still quite steep. And they don't plan on backing down from that anytime soon.
The report from The Athetic states that the asking price for Watson will remain five to seven assets, including three first-round picks.
This is a steep amount of return for a player whose future in the NFL is highly uncertain at this point.
Texans eager to move on from Deshaun Watson as payday looms
It appears that the Houston Texans are ready to move on from quarterback Deshaun Watson and are looking to trade him sooner rather than later. Why is that?
The Houston Texans paid the quarterback $10 million during the 2021 NFL season, and he never took the field. For the 2022 NFL season, the Texans are due to pay him $35 million. Houston obviously won't want to pay that much money to a player that they won't get any playing time from.
He does have a no-trade clause, but since he is ready and willing to depart Houston, it's expected that he will waive that clause and accept a trade nearly anywhere at this point in time.
Newly hired Houston Texans head coach Lovie Smith said shortly after he was hired that he was looking for a resolution to the situation revolving around the quarterback so that they can all move on.
With teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers doing their 'homework' on the situation, they may consider a trade for the quarterback. But getting seven trade pieces, including three first-round draft picks, is something that the Houston Texans are likely going to have to change if they want to save $35 million this upcoming season.
