Earlier this week a report emerged that Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson had started looking at ideal landing spots for the 2022 season. Of course, his pending lawsuits will have a big say in those matters too.
No matter what, Watson doesn’t appear likely to ever play another game for the Texans and he holds a full no-trade clause, giving him control over whatever franchise he may play for next.
This has led to plenty of speculation as to which teams have interest leading all the way back to a year ago. While a deal with the Miami Dolphins was reportedly close at the NFL trade deadline, nothing got done. The same goes for the Carolina Panthers who were rumored to have interest without having a care for how his legal situation ended up.
Still, if Watson manages to clear his name, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is fully expected to be traded this offseason.
Deshaun Watson’s camp remains focused on clearing QB’s name
Despite the suggestion earlier in the week pointing to Watson favoring situations such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings, Watson’s agent has denied any such reports.
According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, Watson’s agent David Mulugheta has said there’s no truth to the rumors of his client being interested in playing for specific organizations. At least not yet.
Obviously, there are bigger factors at play than simply determining which team holds his contractual rights.
Of course, Watson’s legal process is ongoing. His deposition date is set for Feb. 22. More should be known about his status following that date.
From Houston’s perspective, they can’t wait for a solution to the Watson situation. Neither can anyone else.