Will Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson Play The 2021-22 NFL Season If He Doesn’t Get Traded?

Deshaun Watson is at the epicenter of drama for the Houston Texans right now. Watson has publicly requested a trade, but the organization is unwilling to move on.

Watson has been asking for a trade for weeks now, and there’s been no indication that he’s willing to see if the Texans make any improvements to keep him happy. Not even the hiring of David Culley changed Watson’s mind. However, the Texans are very uninterested in trading Deshaun Watson away.

Clearly, there’s a difference between the two sides, and it could lead to things getting ugly. Supposedly, if Watson isn’t traded, he is willing to sit out the 2021-22 season until his request is granted.

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Is There a Deadline To Trade Deshaun Watson By?

Officially there is none. The offseason is a free place, and trades have already begun. The Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff blockbuster deal happened just a few days ago.

However, if the Texans want to maximize their returns on Deshaun Watson, the NFL draft serves as an “unofficial” deadline.

Watson is a franchise player. Typically, trading away someone of that magnitude is going to involve a lot of draft capital. Teams like the 49ers, Jets, Dolphins, and Panthers all have a valuable pick in this year’s draft.

For example, the Jets own the second overall pick. Of course, the Texans would never want to trade Watson away, but given the situation, having the number 2 pick would be great as compensation.

Why Should The Texans Trade Watson Quickly?

The longer the Texans wait, the lower Watson’s trade value gets. If Watson starts skipping workouts and training camps, then teams will know that the Texans HAVE to trade him away. Thus, they’ll start offering less since they know Houston will be desperate for any suitor.

Also, keeping a player in the organization after he’s expressed his desire to be traded isn’t a good look for this franchise, especially right now. If Watson is still on the Texans roster by the time the 2021-22 season starts, things could get really messy.

Watson has the support of the Texans locker room as well, so there’ll be no pressure from his teammates to return to the field. Essentially, Watson controls the Texans right now, and that’s a scary thought for this team. Watson was supposed to be the savior of this franchise, but after Houston repeatedly messed up, Watson is long gone.

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