The relationship between Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans is fractured and continues to splinter as reports leak out day by day.
On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the star quarterback and team that drafted him 12th overall in 2017 appear headed for a split.
An update on Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans:https://t.co/Y4ZwAsixTO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2021
Per the ESPN report:
One source told ESPN’s Sarah Barshop that the Texans have had internal conversations about possible trade partners and what their quarterback position would look like in the future without Watson.
Watson has a no-trade clause in his five-year, $156 million deal with the Texans, and some team sources believe that the three-time Pro Bowler could force Houston’s hand into trading him. The no-trade clause would give Watson some control over where he is traded because if it wasn’t the destination he wanted, he could decline to report
Schefter said fellow insider Chris Mortensen added more fuel to the trade fire.
There is a growing consensus within the NFL, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, that Watson will force his way out, and the Texans believe he will command a high compensation package in a trade.
… There are several franchises monitoring the events surrounding Watson if he becomes available on the trade market, league sources told Mortensen.