The Houston Texans looked for a six-player package and picked selections of teams interested in switching to star quarterback Deshaun Watson last summer, league sources told ESPN.
Whether the package consisted of one player and five draft picks or two players and four picks, the Texans were unwilling to change their commercial price for Watson, who remains on his roster although he will not be active for the Sunday’s season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Texans have no plans to play Watson this season, but league sources believe Houston general manager Nick Caserio will not change the three-time Pro Bowler for anything less than the six players and national teams combined.
Sources tell ESPN that no team is willing to meet the price requested by Caserio without adding conditions to the selections due to ongoing investigations by the FBI, the Houston Police Department and the NFL into Watson, who faces 22 active civil lawsuits with allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate. behavior.
Watson and his attorneys have denied the allegations and no charges have been filed. Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said last month that Watson also spoke with the FBI about extortion allegations related to one of the 23 lawsuits that were originally filed against him. As of last month, Watson had not yet spoken directly to the NFL, according to Hardin.
Watson requested an operation last January because he was not satisfied with the management of the franchise and the process used to hire Caserio.
Sources also previously told ESPN that the jeans are ready to keep Watson on their 53-man roster throughout the season, though they will have to pay his $ 10.5 million salary.
Tyrod Taylor will start Sunday against Jacksonville, while rookie Davis Mills will serve as a backup for Houston.