Texans’ Asking Price For Deshaun Watson Remains High

According to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the Texans are now willing to listen to trade offers for QB Deshaun Watson.

Pelissero adds this is not necessarily a new development but it is a stark change from when Texans GM Nick Caserio would just hang up the phone whenever Watson’s name was brought up in trade discussions. 

Per Pelissero and Rapoport, Houston is seeking three first-round picks and more to part with Watson. Chris Mortensen reports two league executives tell him the Texans want a combination of five high draft picks and starting-caliber players. 

Watson reported to Texans training camp this weekend but he maintains his desire for a trade. Any deal would be complicated by Watson’s legal situation, however, as he faces 22 charges of sexual impropriety in civil court.

For now, the NFL does not plan to place Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list. 

Under the new CBA agreed to last year, players are fined a mandatory $50,000 for each day of training camp they hold out. By reporting on time, Watson avoids this fine. 

The 22 lawsuits against Watson for varying degrees of sexual misconduct have jammed up any potential trade for the star quarterback until there’s some kind of resolution. 

Had it not been for that, it’s likely Houston would have relented and granted Watson’s trade request before the draft. 

Both the NFL and the Houston police have open investigations. Until there’s a resolution there and with his legal situation, Watson’s situation is up in the air. 

Watson, 25, was taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Clemson by the Texans. He signed a four-year, $13.854 million with the Texans that included a fifth-year option around $17.3 million for the 2021 season.

The Texans signed Watson to a four-year deal worth as much as $177 million heading into the 2020 season, paying him $39 million a year. 

In 2020, Watson appeared in all 16 games for the Texans and completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 4,823 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 444 yards and three touchdowns.

We’ll have more on Watson as the news is available.