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HOUSTON – As the Houston Texans prepare to take the field at training camp Wednesday, don’t expect to see Deshaun Watson, even though the quarterback showed up at the facility on Sunday morning.
Although Watson is on the team roster, he faces 22 civil lawsuits with allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. Watson requested a trade in January, before the lawsuits were filed, as he was unhappy with the direction the team was taking. It remains to be seen if another team will trade for Watson amid the ongoing lawsuits.
Here’s a look at the Texans quarterback’s situation and the situation in Houston:
Why did Watson show up to training camp?
It’s pretty simple: he didn’t want to be fined $ 50,000 for every day he didn’t report. The new collective agreement, which entered into force in 2020, indicates that fines for recalcitrant can no longer be forgiven.
The Texans chose to cancel their mandatory minicamp in June. Watson would have been fined $ 95,877 if the Texans had organized a minicamp and he had not shown up.
Two sources who were at the facility on Sunday when Watson reported said it was clear the quarterback’s position on the exchange had not changed and that he had signaled he would not be sentenced to a fine.
General manager Nick Caserio and coach David Culley made it clear in January that they had no plans to trade Watson. But as lawsuits were filed in March and April and Watson’s legal situation unfolded, it became increasingly clear that the quarterback would eventually be traded.
It remains to be seen whether it’s this week, before the November 2 trade deadline or after the season once the slots for the draft picks have been set. Still, don’t expect Caserio to trade Watson just to remove it from the list if the return value isn’t there. The Texans’ prize for trading Watson was a combination of five high draft picks and starting caliber players, both league leaders ESPN’s Chris Mortensen told.
Where are the lawsuits now?
After numerous public fights between attorneys Rusty Hardin (Watson’s attorney) and Tony Buzbee (attorney for the 22 plaintiffs), the discovery phase has remained calm.
According to the record of the case, if these prosecutions continue, depositions are expected to begin in September. The plaintiffs would be filed with Watson, who cannot be filed until February 22, 2022, according to the court calendar.
Without a settlement, the lawsuits would not be resolved until after the 2021 NFL season.
What about criminal charges?
Ten women have filed complaints with the Houston Police Department about Watson, Hardin told ESPN’s John Barr on Monday. According to Hardin, eight of the women are among 22 women who have filed civil lawsuits against Watson; two of the women did not file civil lawsuits against the Texans quarterback.
Houston Police did not comment on the investigation or the number of women who filed complaints.
What’s next for Watson?
On Wednesday, the team will enter the field for the first time during training camp. Watson shouldn’t be there, according to two league sources. Before training begins for the Texans, here are some options for the team and Watson:
Texans trade Watson: The Texans have already had preliminary talks with other teams but do not believe they have received a serious offer, sources say.
Although talks did not reach a meaningful stage on Monday morning, the Texans are ready to trade Watson before the start of the season if they find the right game, sources say.
Commissioner Roger Goodell puts Watson on exempt list: If Goodell puts Watson on the bye list, it would prevent Watson from playing but allow him to get paid. The ABC says Goodell could put Watson on the list under three circumstances:
“First, when a player is formally charged with: (1) a felony; or (2) a crime of violence, that is, he is accused of having used physical force or a weapon to injure or threaten a person or animal, of having engaged in sexual assault by force or against a person unable to give consent, or engaging in other conduct that presents a real danger to the safety or well-being of another person. an indictment by a grand jury, the laying of charges by a prosecutor or an indictment in a criminal court.
Watson was not charged with anything that would fall under these circumstances. It also includes “an investigation leads the commissioner to believe that a player may have violated this policy by committing any of the behaviors identified above, he may act when the circumstances and the evidence justify it”.
“… Third, in cases where a violation related to a violent crime is alleged but further investigation is required, the commissioner may place a player on the commissioner’s exemption list on a limited and temporary basis. to allow the league to conduct a preliminary investigation. “
Texans excuse him for training or make him train indoors: Houston might decide they don’t want to be distracted by Watson in the facility and either keep him inside (away from the media and fans) or excuse him for being there all together.
Watson is suspended: It seems unlikely given the state of the lawsuits and the short time until training begins on Wednesday.
Watson stop showing off: Again, also unlikely, after Watson already reported it on Sunday because he didn’t want to be fined.
If the Texans trade Watson or he’s unavailable, what’s Houston’s plan for quarterback?
The Texans addressed that problem early by signing Tyrod Taylor to a one-year incentive-laden free agency contract and drafting Davis Mills in the third round in April.
Taylor is expected to start the season for Houston, barring a trade with Watson that brings a quarterback to Houston. The bigger question is how soon will it start for the Texans? In 2022, Houston is going to have to make a decision about his future quarterback, and to do that, he needs to see what he has at Mills. If Houston struggles at the start of the season, expect to see Mills gain some playing time.
Where could the Texans trade Watson?
Teams that could be good traders include the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Carolina Panthers.
The Eagles are an interesting potential trading partner as they have several first and second round picks in 2022.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler report, Denver is a team that intrigues Watson as a possible destination, but although the Broncos have made no commitments on anything other than preparing Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater for the season, they watch the landscape of the quarterback. Watson is eager to join the Broncos, former teammate (and current Bronco) Kareem Jackson said in June.
From Carolina’s perspective, Watson, who starred in Clemson’s next-door movie, might be a safer thing than recently acquired Sam Darnold, although the Panthers have already taken over Darnold’s 2022 option for a guaranteed amount of. $ 18.8 million.
Meanwhile, Miami could be Watson’s favorite destinationsources told ESPN in January. The Dolphins also have three first-round picks in the next two draft. Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he could choose to veto a trade the Texans are willing to make.
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