Deshaun Watson, one of the best players in the NFL, has requested a trade away from the Houston Texans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Franchise quarterbacks such as Watson rarely leave their teams while under contract, and the request shows how severely the relationship between the Texans and their best player has deteriorated.
According to Schefter, Watson made the request several weeks ago, meaning that the appointment of a new head coach, David Culley, is unlikely to change Watson’s mind. His dissatisfaction is believed to stem from his lack of input over the team’s future. Earlier this month, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that the quarterback was also unhappy with the entire culture of the Texans.
“Reports about Deshaun Watson’s unhappiness with @HoustonTexans are accurate and sources close to the QB say he is still angry about team’s insensitivity to social justice, including hiring practices, after the franchise failed to interview Chiefs OC Eric Bienemy (sic) this past week,” Mortensen tweeted.
The 25-year-old Watson signed a four-year, $156m contract extension with the Texans in September, and the team are under no obligation to trade him. However, they are unlikely to want to keep a player who does not want to play for the team.
Possible destinations for Watson include the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, both of whom have draft capital that they could send to the Texans in return for Watson. They also have young quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Sam Darnold respectively, who could move to the Texans while the team rebuilds in a post-Watson era.
Watson combines athleticism with a strong arm and excellent passing accuracy. This season he set career highs in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage. While he has only one won playoff game since being drafted by the Texans in 2017, much of the blame can be put on Houston’s dysfunction rather than Watson’s failings as a player.
