It’s been almost nine months since Deshaun Watson requested a trade from the Houston Texans. Rumors that he might be dealt ramped up in the early spring but quieted down after he was accused of sexual misconduct by over 20 women. 22 civil lawsuits have been filed and much of the discussion around Watson focused on the allegations rather than his outlook for the 2021 NFL season.
However, with the legal situation still ongoing and the league’s final cut deadline next Tuesday, speculation about a potential trade involving the Texans quarterback has started to pick up.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, “multiple” league executives have said that there’s been “mounting chatter” that Watson could dealt in the next few days. Per those sources, the frontrunners to pull off a trade would be the Carolina Panthers or the Miami Dolphins.
“Multiple executives from teams not directly involved in the discussions tell PFT that there’s mounting chatter that Watson will be traded in the coming days,” Florio wrote on Saturday.
“The two finalists are believed to be the Panthers and the Dolphins. (The Broncos and Eagles also had been linked to Watson.) If it happens, it would turn things upside down for whichever team gets Watson.”
There’s chatter building in league circles that the Texans may soon be trading Deshaun Watson to the Panthers or the Dolphins. https://t.co/VH1kqQ1dDg
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 28, 2021
A trade is just one of a few options that the Texans could pursue for Watson in the coming days. Houston could just as easily stash the multi-time Pro Bowler on the bench, or find some way to convince him to play early on in the year. However, at seemingly any time, the serious accusations that Watson faces could lead to consequences that could impact his standing with the NFL.
That leaves a trade as one of the most viable possibilities for the Texans, provided that another team is willing to take on a player that carries disturbing allegations with him. The Panthers and the Dolphins might not be entirely satisfied with their outlooks at quarterback, but would be taking a huge risk by trading for Watson.
The NFL’s deadline for teams to get down to their final 53-man roster is this Tuesday. By that point, fans will have a much clearer picture on how the Texans view Watson’s future in Houston.
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