HOUSTON — The 2021 NFL trade deadline came and went, and disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson is still a member of the Houston Texans. And according to general manager Nick Caserio, the Texans held several trade discussions with teams around the league, but “no deal came to fruition.”
Watson requested a trade in late January following the hiring of Caserio and coach David Culley, but his legal issues off-field played a significant role in Houston’s failed dealings — according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Out of respect, Caserio did not deny nor confirm whether or not Watson’s ongoing civil suits played a factor.
“We just take it one step at a time as the information comes while trying to make good decisions the best way we can,” Caserio said. “There wasn’t a trade that came to fruition. When you look at corporate America, it happens all the time.”
“We look at this as how are we going to handle this from a business entity. That’s how we are going to approach it and handle it day-to-day.”
According to Schefter, Dolphins declined to proceed with a trade for the 26-year-old quarterback after owner Stephen Ross completed their due diligence on Watson’s legal situation.
Caserio said he spoke to Watson Wednesday morning and the two parties will move forward and re-evaluate the situation. Watson will continue to show up at the Texans’ facility for workouts and team meetings — which Caserio assured is not a distraction.
“Our team has done a great job on focusing on the things they can control,” he said. “It’s probably more of a distraction away from here because it has not affected anything we are doing on a day-to-day basis.”
With nine games remaining in the 2021 season, Watson will continue to be a healthy scratch for the Texans on game days.