Not too fast.
A day after it was announced that Deshaun Watson was asking for a trade, new Texas Texans GM Nick Caserio made it clear that he has not given up on keeping it in the aisle, setting up a showdown with the QB franchise.
“From an organizational standpoint, we want to reiterate our commitment to Deshaun Watson,” he said at Friday’s press conference to introduce head coach David Culley. “We have no interest in negotiating the player.”
While Watson’s frustration with the franchise has little to do with Caserio and Culley personally, there have been no indications that they may change their minds.
The 25-year-old Clemson alum had been waiting to express his opinion on the team’s new leadership after a painful 4-12 season. This did not appear to have happened to the team hiring Ceserio without notifying Watson.
Culley, on his first official day with the team, tried to throw some optimism against the approaching ugliness.
“He’s a Houston Texan,” the 65-year-old head coach said. “I want him to be a Houston Texan. The reason I’m in this position today is because I know he’s going to be a Houston Texan. “
This positivity may be out of place. Watson, who has a four-year, $ 156 million contract until 2025 with a no-trade clause, has most of the leverage in this case and is apparently “excavated” in dealing with it. The Texans can do nothing but fine him if he refuses to show up, though the NFL network reported that he is willing to “sit back and lose money.”
Numerous teams are expected to enter the Watson commercial market, which led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards and a career-high 33 personal touchdowns in 2020. The Jets could put together an intriguing No. 2-led package. the 2021 NFL draft, but will have to compete with the AFC East enemies of New England and Miami, as well as the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers.