ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter joined ESPN’s Get Up on Friday morning to discuss the latest on where things stand with Deshaun Watson.
The former Clemson and current Houston Texans quarterback is down to two teams, per reports, as he decides on his trade destination. The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints are the final teams in the running for Watson, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, after the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns were informed Thursday they are out of the Watson sweepstakes.
“Well, here’s where we are this morning,” Schefter said. “The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints both are awaiting an answer from Deshaun Watson about where he wants to play football this and in future seasons. And what is expected to happen is perhaps today – although we thought it might be yesterday – Deshaun Watson will inform a team and the Houston Texans that he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause in his contract to go to a certain city, either Atlanta or New Orleans.”
Schefter reported that the Saints and Texans have a deal in place that would ship Watson to New Orleans if that’s the destination he chooses.
Meanwhile, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan pushed his $7.5 million roster bonus to Tuesday, giving himself time to vet trade options if Watson is traded to Atlanta.
“New Orleans has, essentially, a trade in place with the Houston Texans that would send Watson to New Orleans if that’s the place he chooses,” Schefter said. “The Atlanta Falcons would take a bit more to get done. They still would have to work through the compensation with the Texans and they also still would have to trade Matt Ryan, who coincidentally pushed back a $7.5 million roster bonus due in his contract today to Tuesday to give himself four more days to explore trade options with other teams in the event that Watson is traded to Atlanta and picks Atlanta as his future home.”
Added Schefter: “But the bottom line is everybody is waiting for Deshaun Watson to make his final decision about where he wants to play – and make no mistake about it, despite everything he’s been through the last year, despite the fact that he’s still facing 22 civil lawsuits, Atlanta wants him, New Orleans wants him. They are both prepared to trade for him. We are just awaiting the official word from the quarterback himself about where he wants to spend his football future.”
–Photo for this article courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
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