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Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson made it known before the offseason that he never wanted to play for the franchise again. With the 2021 season, he might technically get his wish due to his ongoing legal situation.
Watson demanded a trade in January, citing a desire to get away from the Texans’ organization. Houston refused to move him, rejecting inquiries from across the NFL and doing everything in their power to convince the Pro Bowl quarterback to stay.
Instantly, the situation surrounding the most coveted player in the NFL changed. The first of 22 sexual misconduct allegations emerged against the Texans’ franchise quarterback, the start of a legal saga that is still unfolding.
Now facing 22 civil suits and 10 criminal complaints, Watson’s NFL future is increasingly uncertain. The Texans are willing to trade him, but only if their original asking price is met.
With teams shying away due to the risks, Watson is stuck in Houston and ESPN’s Sarah Barshop explained on Outside the Lines that he might not see the field in 2021.
“(Rusty) Hardin said that Watson hasn’t even sat down with NFL investigators for this and he’s found that is typical with his clients because the NFL likes to wait until the criminal portion of the investigation is concluded before doing that interview. Right now, the NFL has put no restriction on Watson taking part in Texans’ activity. If that doesn’t change before the start of the season. If the league doesn’t put Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, we could see him spend his year as part of the Texans’ 53-man roster as a healthy scratch each week.”
ESPN’s Sarah Barshop on future of Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson
Why Deshaun Watson could miss 2021 season?
The NFL isn’t going to rush a decision on Watson. While the league is conducting its own investigation, which has received criticism from his accusers, it is first going to wait for the criminal matters to be handled.
Watson is currently being investigated by the Houston police department, is facing a grand jury investigation from Harris County and the FBI is looking into the allegations against him.
With so many moving parts, the league isn’t going to interfere with federal and local government agencies who are better positioned to thoroughly examine each allegation of sexual harassment and assault. The NFL learned its lesson with Ray Rice, thus leading to a more patient approach this time around.
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For NFL teams like the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins, now is the worst time to pursue a trade for Watson. Houston isn’t lowering its asking price, even if it means keeping Watson at the risk of him losing even more value. So, barring sudden resolutions, he’s going to be stuck on the Texans’ roster.
It’s possible the NFL steps in before Week 1 and places Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, the equivalent of paid leave. If that happens, any time he misses will not be credited to a potential suspension later handed down when the investigations conclude.
Considering how the Texans have used Deshaun Watson in practice and where they list him on the depth chart, it would be a surprise if he plays for anyone in 2021.