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HOUSTON – There are four teams left in the playoffs, and the biggest subject in the NFL is quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans.
We’ve covered why Watson isn’t happy with the franchise that drafted him and what his options are going forward, but dig deeper into what would happen if the Texans traded their star quarterback.
What makes it difficult for Texans?
Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract. This means that Watson has a say in where he goes, as he could choose not to waive the clause.
How rare is a no-trade clause?
The clause is not common and is usually reserved for quarterbacks, although there are some exceptions. Among the quarterbacks, Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Jimmy Garoppolo (but only in 2021), Russell Wilson and Tom Brady have no-trade inclusions built into their current contracts. Cardinals receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald, who negotiated their own contracts in Arizona, also have no-trade clauses.
Does that mean Watson has all the weight?
While it may seem like Watson has leverage because he could essentially choose which team he goes to, in the end, the Texans don’t have to trade him. Watson signed a contract extension in September that covers the 2025 season.
Managing Director Nick Caserio could find several business deals he’s happy with and present Watson with those options. But if Watson doesn’t want to go to those destinations, he might have to stay and play or sit.
The Texans could also work with Watson and his agent to establish a list of teams he would agree to be traded with; Caserio could then work on that roller to help avoid problems down the road.
Of course, if it gets to the point where Watson misses out on practice sessions (if those even happen in person) or training camp, the Texans might decide it’s better to get something in exchange for the quarterback. -back.
Under the collective agreement, the team could choose to fine Watson up to $ 50,000 for each day missed during training camp. Unlike the previous agreement, the fines cannot be waived.
And because of the language in Watson’s contract – standard in Texans deals – if Watson misses the mandatory workouts, there is a chance that could play into Watson having to pay back his signing bonus. .
What has changed last week?
Since I wrote last week, there have been more reports of Watson’s misfortune, but the quarterback still hasn’t said anything.
More importantly, at least publicly, he hasn’t asked for an exchange.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that several people in and around the organization believed Watson had played his last snap with the team. A source also told ESPN that the Texans have had internal conversations about their business partners and what their quarterback position would look like without Watson.
Later in the week, CEO and team chairman Cal McNair told the Houston Chronicle he had “texted in” with Watson and said the Texans “wanted to. [Watson] in the loop and part of the process “as Houston searches for its next head coach.
Some fans are frustrated with McNair, and someone has organized a protest, encouraging fans to walk half a mile to Lefty’s, the cheesesteak franchise of which Watson is a minority owner, at NRG Stadium. On Monday, Watson asked fans not to protest on his behalf.
“While I am humble, I ask whoever is organizing the march to cancel for the sake of public safety,” Watson said in a tweet. “[COVID-19] is spreading at a high rate and I don’t want fans to unnecessarily expose themselves to the infection. “
A small group attended.
Watson did tweet a photo of himself in a car on Tuesday with the caption: “I tried to have a little patience, I told my mum she should pray over it.”
Does hiring head coach Watson want to solve this problem?
McNair did not consult Watson until the Texans hired their GM, which is where some of Watson’s frustration stems from, so there is hope that Watson’s inclusion in the hiring process of a head coach will solve this problem.
For example, would hiring Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, whom Watson has publicly declared his admiration for, mend that relationship? Remember, the Texans didn’t ask to interview Bieniemy until after reports came out that Watson was not happy with the process the Texans took to hire Caserio. It should be noted that Caserio is currently leading the search for head coaching and the request to interview Bieniemy was made after he took office.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Texans are looking at Bieniemy, with Caserio “doing extensive homework on the candidate.” Houston’s request is not empty, Fowler said, as Bieniemy, who interviewed on Monday, will be highly regarded.
Along with Bieniemy, the team announced that they have also interviewed – since Caserio was hired – Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach. , David Culley.
While hiring a Watson-favored coach would certainly be a step in the right direction, the move seems unlikely to mend the quarterback’s relationship with the Texans.
If the Texans tried to trade Watson, how would that work?
If Watson demands an exchange – private or public – Caserio could start receiving offers from other teams.
On SportsCenter this week, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said organizations he spoke with might be interested in Watson said they expect there will be “double-digit teams” ready to trade to acquire the quarterback.
What would a trade mean for the Texans’ salary cap?
Any exchange from Watson will result in a charge of $ 5.6 million in dead money for the Texans. Due to the way his contract is structured (he’s technically in the last year of his rookie contract, before his four-year contract extension begins), his cap for 2021 is only 15.94 million. of dollars. By comparison, that number climbs to $ 40.4 million in 2022.
The reason it will be so expensive for the Texans is that they paid off a significant portion of the deal with Watson’s $ 27 million signing bonus, which is prorated. Teams are doing this to help them take advantage of the cap for years to come.
If the Texans trade Watson, the annual pro rata accelerates against the Texans like a load of dead money. The dead money on the contract is $ 21.6 million, which is the $ 5.4 million prorated signing bonus from 2021 to 2024.
This means that the team that trades for Watson is not responsible for the prorated portion of his signing bonus, but only his base salary. So, its cap fees from 2021 to 2025 would be $ 10.54 million, $ 35 million, $ 37 million, $ 32 million, and $ 32 million. The final two years of the contract are not guaranteed, but if Watson performs this well at this point, a salary of $ 32 million will be considered a godsend for an elite quarterback.
Because the salary of $ 10.54 million would be paid by the team negotiating for Watson, the quarterback’s trading would only add $ 5.6 million in dead money. Of course, on top of that load of dead money, the Texans would have to pay another quarterback as well, and that won’t be cheap.
Dead money is probably only worth it for the Texans if they find a team willing to trade them in for a player (or players via draft picks and players on rookie contracts) that matches the productivity they think of getting Watson.
Otherwise, if you’re trying to compete, that’s a lot of money to have on the books for someone not playing for the Texans in 2021.
Watson could also offer to return the guaranteed money to the team, which would allow the Texans to facilitate a trade.
Do the Texans have a lot of wiggle room for a salary cap?
Houston is over $ 18 million more than the projected salary cap for 2021. Of course, it’s the money spent so far that matters most to Texans right now.
To help, Caserio has several contracts he can work with, such as cutting back David Johnson (which would save $ 6.9 million), linebacker Benardrick McKinney ($ 7 million), running back Duke Johnson ($ 5.1 million) and guard Zach Fulton ($ 3 million). or restructuring deals for wide receiver Brandin Cooks or center Nick Martin.
Why can’t Watson just demand a trade, similar to NBA players?
Texas fans don’t have to look far for an example of a superstar demanding a trade. Last week, Houston Rockets star James Harden finally got his wish and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
Watson’s leverage, to make a move like Harden, is that he’s a top quarterback. But otherwise, the way the two leagues work when it comes to the cap is very different. NBA contracts are generally shorter than most NFL contracts (including Watson’s) which allows for more movement. Because Watson signed a four-year contract extension, he lost a lot of weight.
The biggest difference, of course, is that NBA contracts are fully guaranteed and, for the most part, NFL contracts are not. Often times in the NBA teams are willing to take on unwanted short-term contracts in order to free up cap space to add assets in the years to come. In the NFL, these players are usually cut.
In fact, the closest an NFL team has to an NBA-style trade is when the Texans traded a second-round pick in 2017 to have the Cleveland Browns take over the rest of Brock Osweiler’s contract.
There are also fewer players in the NBA, which means trading for a star player can have an immediate impact. With the size of the roster in the NFL, it’s rare for a player (other than a star quarterback) to be so dominant that he demands a trade and can determine where he’s going.
Of course, a player of Watson’s caliber could be the exception to the rule.
Is there a similar situation that we can compare this to?
Not that I can think of. Jalen Ramsey recently forced a trade – he has the same agent as Watson – but (1) Ramsey is not a quarterback, and (2) the Jacksonville Jaguars had yet to sign him for a contract extension. .
It’s a unique situation in Houston, and there will be a lot of people interested in the NFL as it unfolds.
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