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There are rumors swirling that the Houston Texans could trade quarterback Deshaun Watson, but here are four reasons why they will not.
The Houston Texans are grist for the rumor mill, and the latest rumor is that the club could trade a disgruntled Deshaun Watson.
Because there is no better way to improve as an organization than to trade your franchise quarterback. If the 1990s Buffalo Bills would have done this with Jim Kelly, maybe they would have won a Super Bowl; it’s the only way forward.
Here are four reasons why the three-time Pro Bowler isn’t going anywhere.
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio must resolve these four problems immediately before he can begin to fix the team’s 4-12 finish.
The Houston Texans aren’t making the same mistakes in 2021.
They’re just making all new ones.
Newly hired general manager Nick Caserio is getting his first crack at running an NFL front office after spending the last 19 years inside the New England Patriots organization, playing a key role in the club’s six Super Bowl champions and sundry AFC East titles they keep as doorstops throughout the facility.
The 45-year-old has more to do than fix a team that finished 4-12. Caserio has some issues that need to be resolved before he can even begin to fix the Texans.
Deshaun Watson, if reports are true, might force his way out of Houston. What potential destinations make the most sense?
I think about this picture often:
This photo of Deshaun Watson, gazing into the rear-view mirror while seated in a Maserati, dates back to his pre-draft process. Over the years, however, it has come to symbolize a quarterback perhaps let down by his organization. Anytime the Houston Texans would make a move to weaken the roster around him, such as trading away DeAndre Hopkins, my mind would flash to this image of a young man, looking let down and disappointed in those around him.
I thought of it again today, with the news that Watson might force his way out of Houston. Let down by an organization again, when they chose not to interview Eric Bieniemy for their vacant head coaching position, as the quarterback had asked. He hoped to have input on some of the bigger decisions facing the organization, and now the Texans might face an even bigger one: Whether to trade him.
If – IF – incoming general manager Nick Caserio is forced to move Watson, what are the potential landing spots for one of the game’s elite quarterbacks?
The easy answer is: Almost anywhere. But let’s dive into the top candidates. Rather than working through approximately 25 teams I narrowed the list the best I could, but yes Broncos and Colts fans, your GMs should be calling too.
The Houston Texans would be taking a backwards step as their first move in the Nick Caserio era, and the franchise doesn’t want to do that.
Houston sports fans need to to relax and calm down.
The Texans are not going to trade Deshaun Watson, and they aren’t even going to entertain such a trade involving their three-time Pro Bowler, who is the cornerstone of the franchise and key reason why they have even made the playoffs two of the last three seasons.
Newly appointed general manager Nick Caserio’s first move is not going to be trading away the franchise’s best quarterback in its history. If Caserio is truly going to right the ship that O’Brien ran aground, it doesn’t start with doing even more damage than O’Brien could have possibly imagined — for mid-round draft picks, of course.
Even if hypothetically speaking a team calls the Texans to inquire about a trade for Watson, it better start off with a bare minimum of three first-round picks just to keep the phone from hanging up. At that price, teams would be better off taking someone in the draft themselves and cultivating that talent rather than mortgaging their future.
If anyone is getting traded, look for Whitney Mercilus and J.J. Watt as Caserio works to get some traction going in an offseason where the club won’t have a first or second-round pick.
Trading Mercilus or Watt or both should net you at least a third-round pick or possibly a second. Also in free agency there are a few players the Texans could look at, like receiver Allen Robinson and pairing him with Brandin Cooks. There are many needs for the Texans this offseason and while most will not get filled in just one offseason we should have a better view and idea of how this team is going to be shaped in the coming months.
Trading Watson is not how the Texans are going to right the ship. Every article entertaining the idea is just another announcement of, ‘this way to the egress.’ Texans fans need to wait patiently and see who the club hires as a coach. Maybe that is the move that finally pacifies Watson and the trade rumors fade away.
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is reportedly unhappy. Could the club even trade him given there is a no-trade clause in his contract?
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is unhappy.
According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, part of the reason Watson is unhappy about the organization’s recent direction is due to the perceived insensitivities regarding social justice, as exemplified by their refusal to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for the coaching vacancy.
It all begs the question: can the Texans trade Watson given that he has a no-trade clause in his contract?
Mortensen tweeted that “informed speculation from a source” indicates the club could find a trade partner, specifically the Miami Dolphins. Houston might be able to get some draft capital back and a young franchise quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa.
Sources say Watson could play hardball with Texans about a trade. His new $156 million contract includes a no-trade clause but informed speculation from a source is that he would consider the @MiamiDolphins in which Tua Tagovailoa and additional compensation goes to Houston.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 10, 2021
The problem is Houston would be going backwards in terms of addressing the quarterback position. Tagovailoa still has to develop as a quarterback while Watson has already passed through certain trials and proven himself worthy of a second contract.
The Texans have to fix their problems with Watson and fast.
Is it time for the Texans to #FreeDeshaunWatson? Recent moves have reportedly infuriated the franchise quarterback beyond repair.
On September 5, 2020, Deshaun Watson signed a four-year contract extension with the Texans that gave the quarterback $156 million in new money with $73.716 million fully guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.com. The resulting press conference, which included Watson, Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, Watson’s college coach Dabo Swinney, and Ethan Hughes, who met Watson through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, was quite interesting, and very emotional.
I think it’s all about – like we always talk about – the type of people that we want on this team and in this organization,” then-head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien said. “Deshaun Watson is a shining example of that. He’s just a tremendously hardworking young man, a very bright guy. He’s a winner and he’s a winner at the most important position in football. So I just think it’s a reflection to the team of what we’re trying to do here and the commitment that both sides have, the commitment that he has to winning here and being who he is both on and off the field and the commitment that we have to him relative to our belief in him since the day I met him at the combine years ago. Tremendous belief in him as a quarterback and as a person, and just really looking forward to starting the season.”
Well, a full season later, things are very different. O’Brien is long-gone after gutting the roster in a series of god-awful trades. And the subsequent GM search, which ended with the hire of longtime Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, may have sent Watson — who was already unhappy about the trade of receiver DeAndre Hopkins and the Texans’ lack of commitment to social justice issues — over the bend.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, had the Texans followed the recommendation of search firm Korn Ferry, the hire would have been Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan. The second recommendation was ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. Both Khan and Riddick were candidates of color, and the team ignored the recommendations in favor of Caserio.
Not that Caserio isn’t qualified for the job, but what it’s done to Watson’s mindset, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, is not good. The Texans’ refusal to even interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy (another candidate of color) was another nail in the coffin.
Reports about Deshaun Watson's unhappiness with @HoustonTexans are accurate and sources close to the QB say he is still angry about team's insensitivity to social justice, including hiring practices, after the franchise failed to interview Chiefs OC Eric Bienemy this past week.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 10, 2021
Let the denials begin but it will be an off-season story, a puzzle of sorts, that promises some drama
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 10, 2021
The Dolphins idea is certainly interesting. The Jets and Jaguars also present fascinating scenarios as teams with the combination of high draft picks and salary cap space to not only make a trade possible, but to absorb Watson’s contract over time.
In 2020, despite that aforementioned depleted roster, Watson completed 70.2% of his passes for a league-leading 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Not the kind of guy you want to alienate, but here we may be.
Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu weighed in on where Deshaun Watson would be a good fit if the Houston Texans decided to trade him.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson is under contract with the Houston Texans through the 2025 season.
However, he is always on the trading block in the rumor mill.
Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu spent the 2018 season with the Texans, and got to know the former 2017 first-round pick fairly well. The former All-Pro safety listed his three teams that he believes should at least place a phone call to see what the Texans would want to part ways with Watson.
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio would be making a colossal mistake if he traded quarterback Deshaun Watson.
In addition to Deshaun Watson’s cryptic tweets signaling the offseason has begun, another time-honored tradition are rumors that the three-time quarterback will be traded.
No need to link to that bosh; just go to your favorite search engine and type “Deshaun Watson trade.”
Do you know hard it is to acquire a franchise quarterback? Ask the Chicago Bears. They’re still looking for theirs since Sid Luckman. Maybe they would have had one in the 1980s if Charles Martin hadn’t body-slammed Jim McMahon and sent him on a road of injury misery that marred his career.
Speaking of Bears quarterbacks, ever wonder how Jay Cutler ended up in Chicago? In 2009, when another Bill Belichick acolyte named Josh McDaniels was hired by the Denver Broncos, he actively tried to acquire New England Patriots backup quarterback Matt Cassel, who McDaniels had worked with and led to an 11-5 record the year before when Tom Brady tore his ACL in Week 1. McDaniels ran off a starting quarterback because it wasn’t “his guy” and ended up getting fired midway through is second season.
Do you think new Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio didn’t pay attention to his former colleague’s big blunder with the Broncos?
Caserio was with the Patriots going back to 2001. In addition to seeing what stability under center can do for a franchise, he has also seen the abject failure franchises go through constantly evaluating the quarterback position. The New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills were all dumpster fires at quarterback with first-round busts, failed free agents, and undrafted hopium at quarterback — all en route to losing seasons and making New England’s path to the postseason all the less difficult.
How about the most recent season the Patriots endured? Brady goes to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New England has to choose between Jarrett Stidham and Cam Newton — a situation akin to what their division rivals had to endure since 2000. The results were evident as the Patriots finished 7-9, their first losing record since Bill Belichick took over in 2000.
Caserio has to find a new coach and execute a soft rebuild. That doesn’t sound so bad compared to the Jacksonville Jaguars, for example, who have to hire a new coach, initiate a total rebuild, and find a new quarterback. Houston, Indianapolis, and Tennessee may be getting easy wins for the next couple years.
Trading Watson would be that catalyst to hurl Houston into a state they have no reason to be in. Why would Caserio get rid of a franchise quarterback hoping to get something better?
Watson earned his third Pro Bowl, set the Texans’ franchise record for single-season passing yards and touchdowns, and also won the league passing title — all the while the rest of the team failed to produce around him. Just give Watson a team, and he can be the catalyst to get the club back into playoff contention.
If Caserio traded Watson, Houston would be in a rebuild that they probably could never come out of and be reminiscent of the pre-playoff seasons — 6-10 finishes, perpetually third in the division, “maybe next year” as the Texans are nothing more than filler between the Houston Astros and Houston Rockets.
No one would give Caserio another shot after that. He could go back to New England, like McDaniels did after his colossal failure in Denver and one-year stint as the St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator. Aside from the Colts getting jilted in 2018, no one else has given McDaniels a chance.
Caserio has more to gain working with Watson than working to get rid of him.
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