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With the Houston Texans starting their offseason program this week, star quarterback Deshaun Watson remains away from the team.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero notes that Watson will not take part in the organized team activities and still wants to be traded from Houston.
As you likely already know, Watson requested a trade earlier in the offseason after showing unhappiness over the direction of the organization. Since then, 22 women have come forward in civil cases accusing the Pro Bowl quarterback of sexual assault and/or sexual wrongdoing.
This has halted any potential trade due to the severity of the allegations and investigations being conducted by both the Houston Police Department and the National Football League.
In addition to Watson likely facing discipline from the NFL, the aforementioned investigation from authorities in Houston is criminal in nature. That complicates the quarterback’s future in the NFL.
With all of this said, there’s still a chance that Deshaun Watson could be traded. Here’s a look at three things that must happen in order for this to take place.
Deshaun Watson settles civil cases
Simply opting to settle the outstanding cases likely won’t lead to a trade. First off, Watson could be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List pending the NFL’s investigation into the matter. This investigation could very well continue beyond any potential settlement.
There’s also a high probability that Roger Goodell and Co. opt to suspend Watson. As we have pointed out multiple times in the past, the league operates under a different philosophy than the American justice system. Simply put, players can be suspended even in the absence of criminal charges or a guilty verdict. This could be the case when it comes to Watson.
Even then, settling the civil cases before the litigation schedule has Watson testifying under oath after the Super Bowl would be one major step in him returning to the field and potentially being traded.
Houston Police Department clears Deshaun Watson
Right now, everything related to the Watson allegations is civil in nature. This is important to note given that there’s less of an onus on accusers to prove guilt than in a criminal trial (see: O.J. Simpson). It’s also important to note in that the Houston Police Department has yet to file criminal charges against the reigning NFL passing champion.
What does that all mean? If the local authorities conclude their investigation without filing charges, it opens things up from Watson’s perspective to settle the civil cases and move on. Whether the timelines in both regards match with the start of training camp in July remains to be seen.
NFL team rolls the dice on the star quarterback
Let’s say these two legal issues are settled. It would then require a quarterback-needy team taking a chance on Deshaun Watson in a trade. It certainly is not without risk. Without even venturing into the misguided land of assuming guilt or innocence, 22 women coming forward is more than troubling. Add in the four-year, $156 million deal Watson is playing under, and this is magnified further.
What we do know is that eight teams had interest in Watson ahead of these allegations becoming public record. Of those teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins remain on the NFL rumor mill as potential suitors.
A lot of this is going to depend heavily on what Houston is demanding in a trade. It added four quarterbacks to the roster during the offseason, including former Pro Bowler Tyrod Taylor and rookie third-round pick Davis Mills. Combine that with the allegations, and it’s reasonable to believe the Texans’ asking price would have to be lowered.
Is a Deshaun Watson trade still in the cards this offseason? Personally, I doubt it. This doesn’t mean developments as it relates to both his legal situation and stance about playing for the Texans can’t change things on a dime.