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The Houston Texans have four storylines that will surround them as they open up camp on July 27.
Players report for Houston Texans training camp on July 27. When the third place finishers in the AFC South regroup at Houston Methodist Training Center to finish their preparations for the 2021 NFL season, the team will have some storylines lingering over them.
Here are the four storylines the Texans will have to contend with as camp opens.
There isn’t any real news on the Deshaun Watson trade front, but here four teams who would still be interested in the Houston Texans quarterback.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson requested a trade in late January, and the speculation intensified as to where he would play his fifth NFL season.
When the sexual assault lawsuits hit in March, during the advent of free agency, the trade rumors froze. Instead, the focus has become whether Watson will even play a down in 2021 with pending litigation and the NFL subsequently investigating.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to work out with his personal quarterback trainer, and seems intent on playing in 2021 — obviously not in Houston.
Here are four NFL teams that would still be interested in making a deal for Watson, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Deshaun Watson is still technically a Houston Texans quarterback. Will he have any fantasy football value at all in 2021?
Houston Texas disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson is undoubtedly one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL.
In fantasy football leagues, the three-time Pro Bowler can definitely carry a squad. According to the Fantasy Pros, Watson was the fifth-best quarterback in 2020 in fantasy points. His 33 touchdown passes were the eighth-highest in the league, and he led the league with 4,823 passing yards. Watson also averaged 23 fantasy points per game in the Fantasy Pros’ models, and also gathered 369 total fantasy points.
Whether Watson is playing for the Texans or somewhere else in 2021, the biggest impediment involves his lawsuit wherein 22 women accuse him of sexual assault. Not only is it a civil matter, but the NFL is also conducting its own investigation.
Watson has all the tools to be the stud QB, but in fantasy football, especially in dynasty leagues, his value is very intriguing. Just as the Texans have received offers for Watson but haven’t dealt him, so too is the case with dynasty owners. There are trade requests for Watson in dynasty leagues, but fantasy owners are still holding on to his playing rights.
Taking Watson in either dynasty, keeper, or redraft is a risk as he could provide zero points for the 2021 campaign.
If an owner covets Watson in keeper or dynasty, the best time to target him would be in the middle of the 2021 season. His value could be lower than it is now just based on the fact he will be “out of sight, out of mind” in the NFL with other young quarterbacks such as Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Trey Lance, and Trevor Lawrence dominating timelines with their impressive highlights.
Watson’s ADP in PPR leagues currently is 10th-round, 117th overall. If you are drafting soon and in a dynasty league taking Watson is not a bad player to draft it is more a wait and be patient on this player type of situation. If you have the depth at the quarterback position then take him and let him sit on the bench, once we have clarification on his situation then sit back, relax, and enjoy watching Watson win you some fantasy games in the near future.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson posted a second workout video to Instagram since his social media silence in March.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson did not show up for any of the Houston Texans’ offseason workouts for the entire eight weeks, including the team’s 10 sessions of organized team activities.
But that doesn’t mean the three-time Pro Bowler has been missing any workouts.
According to an Instagram video posted on June 18, the former 2017 first-round pick appears to be working out at Classic Sports Nutrition in Farmingdale, New York, which is on Long Island.
Watson is seen in the video throwing footballs and going through conventional agility drills on a practice field. The 6-2, 215-pound quarterback is also shown lifting weights and throwing medicine balls inside the gym.
The video is the second Watson has posted since March when he took to Twitter to respond to attorney Tony Buzbee’s intention to file the first lawsuit alleging sexual assault. In May, Watson finally broke his social media silence in a measure by posting a video of himself working out.
Compounding Watson’s availability issues, as the NFL is conducting their own investigation into the sexual assault lawsuits, is his trade request from January.
The Texans elected not to have mandatory minicamp, which was originally slated for June 14-16. As a result, Watson was not fined for missing practice. The next deadline to report or risk fines is training camp, which opens July 27.
General manager Nick Caserio told Sports Radio 610’s [KILT-AM] “Payne & Pendergast” on June 14 that the club would make any decisions regarding Watson the closer they got to training camp.
“The most important thing is for all of us — coaches, players, myself included is to focus on the things that we can control, and as we get more information, as we get closer to training camp, then we’ll try to make the best decision for the Houston Texans, whatever that entails,” Caserio said.
The Texans also have quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor, Jeff Driskel, and third-round rookie Davis Mills on the roster.
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio hinted the club will start to make a decision on QB Deshaun Watson the closer they get to training camp.
The situation with quarterback Deshaun Watson remains an unresolved issue for the Houston Texans with over a month to go until the opening of training camp.
General manager Nick Caserio joined “Payne & Pendergast” on Sports Radio 610 [KILT-AM] on Monday to talk about the focus of the team now that the club’s offseason workout program has concluded.
One of the questions co-host Seth Payne pegged Caserio with is how the players are handling the two-headed situation with Watson and if they have spoken with the players about it at all.
“Yeah, I think we’re taking it one day at a time, really control the things that we can control,” said Caserio. “I think the players have been focused on their attitude and their approach in the building, and they handled it, everything I would very well. So, again, we’ll take it one day at a time.”
In addition to an unfulfilled trade requested, which was made in January, Watson is also facing sexual assault allegations from 22 women, which the NFL is concurrently investigating.
As such, Caserio reiterated that he didn’t have further comments and that, “we’re respectful of what’s happening. We’re respectful of the process and everybody that’s involved.”
The first-year general manager did state that while the focus is on the current coaching staff led by David Culley and the other players on the roster, training camp could be the deadline that compels the Texans to make a decision regarding Watson.
“So, again, the most important thing is for all of us — coaches, players, myself included is to focus on the things that we can control, and as we get more information, as we get closer to training camp, then we’ll try to make the best decision for the Houston Texans, whatever that entails,” Caserio said.
The Texans nixed their mandatory minicamp which was slated for June 14-16. Training camp is set to open on July 27.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is not scheduled to be deposed in the lawsuit against him until February 2022, after Super Bowl LVI.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is not scheduled to be deposed in the sexual assault lawsuit against him until after Super Bowl LVI.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the case docket states that Watson cannot be deposed before Feb. 22, 2022, which is nine days after Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, California, at SoFi Stadium.
Watson is currently being sued by 22 women with the plaintiffs alleging sexual assault. All 22 women are being represented by Tony Buzbee while Rusty Hardin is representing Watson.
According to Fowler, Hardin stated on Tuesday that the three-time Pro Bowler is not engaged in any discussions about settling with the women who are party to the lawsuit. A Sports Illustrated report stated that Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair’s personal attorney attempted to broker mediation between the two sides.
Watson has no plans to report to Texans offseason workouts as he had requested a trade in January, two months before the filing of the first lawsuit against him.
A new report from Sports Illustrated says that the Houston Texans’ Cal McNair’s lawyer tried to broker mediation in the Deshaun Watson lawsuits.
One theory about the Deshaun Watson sexual assault lawsuits is that it could be partly retribution on the part of the Houston Texans for the three-time Pro Bowler demanding a trade in late January.
After all, a sports theory conspiracy theorist may argue, the lawyer representing the 22 women, Tony Buzbee, is allegedly neighbors with the McNairs. That would be enough proof, a sports conspiracy theorist may say.
However, new information from a Sports Illustrated cover story on the Watson lawsuits indicates Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair’s personal lawyer contacted Buzbee and Rusty Hardin, Watson’s attorney, to suggest mediation.
About two weeks after the first suits against Watson were filed, a lawyer who said he was representing Texans owner Cal McNair did approach both attorneys, seeking to broker a mediation. A statement from the Texans organization, emailed by a team spokesperson, says, “Mr. McNair was aware that his personal attorney contacted both parties to suggest mediation. Mr. McNair has had no personal involvement in any of those discussions. The Houston Texans organization has not had any direct contact with either party.”
Hardin says Watson and his team would only engage in settlement discussions if there was a NDA in place, covering solely the mediation itself, “because they feared Mr. Buzbee would misuse the process.” The NDA, which Hardin’s firm provided to SI, specifies that there is no confidentiality in place after the conclusion of mediation. The lawyer who said he was affiliated with McNair brought the NDA, which was drafted by Hardin’s firm, to Buzbee. Both he and Watson’s agent, David Mulugheta, signed the document, which was dated April 12.
Any settlement conversations after that point would have been confidential, but both attorneys’ statements last week that there are no negotiations at the moment indicate the mediation broke down. One issue the sides differ on is confidentiality: Hardin says Watson wants all terms of any settlement to be made public, and that all parties would be able to speak in their own defense. Buzbee, though, says, “These women have been roundly criticized. What Rusty wants is to humiliate them and make them targets of unscrupulous people. So any resolution we would want confidential, and it would also require Mr. Watson getting some counseling.”
If McNair’s personal attorney tried to broker mediation, it indicates the Texans aren’t taking any punitive actions against Watson as far as his trade request is concerned.
Whether due to Watson’s recalcitrance to play for Houston ever again, or any availability issues that arise due to the lawsuits, the Texans have fortified the quarterback position with the singings of Tyrod Taylor, Jeff Driskel, the trading for Ryan Finley, and the drafting of third-rounder Davis Mills.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson posted videos of himself to Instagram on May 19, breaking a social media silence that lasted two months.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is starting to be more active on social media again.
After a two-month comms silence, initiated with a statement on Twitter making initial remarks about the sexual assault lawsuits that would be filed against him, the three-time Pro Bowler posted three workout videos to his Instagram account using the “stories” feature. The videos feature Watson going through footwork drills and also throwing the football. The workout videos were produced by “Tukes Productions,” which also has an Instagram account.
Adam Wexler, who hosts “The A-Team” on SportsTalk 790 [KBME-AM], compiled the videos and posted them on Twitter.
Deshaun Watson is working out. He posts on social media (IG story) for the first time since March 16 – the evening he released his statement that he was aware of a lawsuit & he looked forward to clearing his name. #NFL #Texans pic.twitter.com/RmZv2deRHn
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) May 19, 2021
Watson is facing allegations from 22 women suing him for sexual assault. The former 2017 first-round pick also requested a trade from the Texans in January, and reportedly told new coach David Culley that he will never again play football for the city of Houston.
The Texans have made contingency plans given Watson’s cooperation and availability issues, including signing Tyrod Taylor in free agency, trading with the Cincinnati Bengals for Ryan Finley, and drafting Stanford quarterback Davis Mills in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Houston Texans coach David Culley had nothing to offer when asked about QB Deshaun Watson’s participation in offseason workouts.
Houston Texans coach would not give any indication on whether the team expects to have quarterback Deshaun Watson for organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.
Phase two of the offseason workout program begins Tuesday.
“We have nothing to say about that situation at this time,” Culley told reporters on a Zoom call on May 15 during rookie minicamp. “Cal (McNair) and ownership a few weeks back indicated about how our organization feels about the situation. I think when Nick (Caserio) was on not long ago, he mentioned that he also mentioned that the legal process is in affect right now and we’re going to respect that and go from there.”
McNair told reporters at a firefighters appreciation event that the team didn’t “have anything new” about Watson’s legal situation.
“There’s ongoing investigations, and we really can’t comment until they run their course,” McNair said.
On April 16, Caserio told reporters during a Zoom call ahead of the draft that he had no comment on the situation.
“I don’t have anything to add other than it’s a legal process,” Caserio said. “We’re respectful of the legal process and where that is. We’re focused on today and we’re focused on getting ready for the offseason program and getting ready for the draft, so that’s where our focus is.”
Even before Watson was being sued by 22 women regarding sexual assault allegations, before the NFL announced they would similarly investigate the allegations, Watson would have been a hard draw to get for offseason workouts anyway given his trade request.
Nevertheless, the Texans have nothing to say about Watson’s availability for offseason workouts, though technically he would be allowed to participate.
“I have nothing to say about that at this time,” said Culley.
The Texans also have Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Finley, and third-round rookie Davis Mills on the roster at quarterback.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is the most trolled player on Twitter, according to a new survey.
Who knew the Houston Texans, who landed just one prime-time game for the 2021 season, somehow had the NFL’s most trolled player on their roster?
According to a survey from OLBG.com, quarterback Deshaun Watson is the most trolled NFL player on Twitter. Of all tweets about the three-time Pro Bowler, 41.5% are negative.
The reason is twofold: the trade request and the lawsuits. From January to March, Watson was the center of virtually every trade scenario as the former 2017 first-round pick wanted out of Houston at any cost. When the lawsuits from 22 women alleging sexual assault were filed in March, the off-field attention to Watson incorporated a new element.
OLBG.com surveyed 759 NFL fans who are active online and asked them questions pertaining to social media platforms they use to discuss the NFL, frequency of said discussions, and whether they would be brave enough to be as frank with the athletes in person as they are behind a screen. In fact, one in four of the participants admitted to using a fake account to troll NFL players.
A curious note about the Twitter hate is that, although the data supported Watson as the most trolled player, the player perceived to get the most hate was Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady. However, the trolling tweets received were less than 18.9% of all tweets, which is what Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett received; Garrett placed No. 19 on the list.
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones led the way in the positive tweet category with 56.1% received being positive. Watson did not qualify for the top 19.
The emojis most associated with Watson included the laughing-crying emoji, a variation where the same emoji is tilted, and also the pondering emoji.
