Bobby Burack
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And now for a timely Deshaun Watson update. Chris Simms said on Peacock that he believes Deshaun Watson has played his last down with the Texans and that Watson is willing to sit out the season if the team won’t trade him:
“I’ve been led to believe that there’s no way that Deshaun Watson will play for the Houston Texans again,” Simms begins. “I have been told by somebody that I trust that says ‘Deshaun Watson will not play for the Houston Texans ever again, and he’s willing to sit out football for the year if he has to.’ That’s where I’ve been led to understand this situation and where it’s at right now, and like I said, it’s someone that I trust very much.”
Simms isn’t Ian Rapoport or Adam Schefter, but former players often have information that reporters don’t.
The timing is key. If Watson is willing to sit out, it’s crucial that he makes that clear before the draft. After the draft is over, the Texans have no deadline to move Watson. It’s more appealing to take on the Jets’ second overall pick or the Dolphins’ third pick this year than their first-rounders next year because no one yet knows where in the round such picks will fall. For this reason, Watson must put pressure on the team soon.
Sure, Watson could still sit out if the Texans refuse to trade him, but he will lose money if he does.
Being “willing” to sit out and actually sitting out are not the same. However, from everything that has been said about Watson so far, he’s likely beyond the stage of just considering it.
If he doesn’t play they can go after his bonus money, and not to mention the salary for this year. So that’s probably over $50M in his case. I don’t care how rich you are, no one willingly gives up $50M.
I used to like Watson, but he really looks like a spoiled millennial who spends too much time on twitter. I hope the Texans do trade him to the Jets and he goes 4-12 every year the rest of his career and the Texans go back to the playoffs 6 out of the next 10 years.
If he sit out he will never recoup the money. Chris Simms is just like Jason McIntyre a hot take artist. Throw crap against the wall and see what sticks.
Let him sit… If the team is being told by his agent, that the only resolution is a trade, then I’d force his hand, make him retire, repay all the bonus $ he was fronted last year, and then after a year of watching the game he supposedly loves to play, then I’ll consider trade offers that are in the best interest of the Texans, not Mr. Watson (within his no-trade clause). We last saw this obviously with Carson Palmer and the Bengals, but here is what I think is different WRT Watson – he is absolutely in his prime now. Palmer, on the other hand, was past it and was definitely a lesser version of himself post knee injury. Neither side wins with the nuclear option, but at least the owner (who may or may not be an idiot, that’s another story), draws the line in the sand with regard to contracts. For those who may have seen my comments on this previously, what I don’t understand is why there isn’t some sort of compromise to be made here that Watson can be happy with. I’ve read a lot about the Texans Exec Esterby, who came from New England, some time after O’Brien took over. He seems to be a common denominator in a lot of current and former players’ problems with the organization. He was also, no doubt, in agreement with the majority of O’Brien’s moves, which were more or less horrible. Why is he not being held accountable like O’Brien was? I think his still being involved in the organization shouts to the team more disfunction, which I think most would agree is untenable. No cap room, no draft picks, under-performance on the field…. Not to excuse Watson’s stance, which I think is that of a spoiled kid, but I’d have a hard time believing that things are going to get better if I was there.
Nah, I think you move on immediately if he’s unreasonable. They don’t need to fool with teaching him lessons; it’s business. If he’s truly willing to sit a year you’ve lost him. Deal him. Trying the peeing contest approach might win an insignificant battle, you’ll waste an entire season, potentially turn fans against the team, and sow even more discord among the players. No need to borrow trouble.
He just signed a 5 year contract. That contract will still be in place if he sits out the season. If he sits out the season, he will have to repay the signing bonus.
The Texans screwed up by making O’Brien general manager and he ruined the team. Making the QB the general manager isn’t much of an improvement.
Yeah, it will work out the same way it did for John Riggins and LaVeon Bell… not…
Watson is going to sit out? How did that work out for Kaepernick?
Trade him to Miami for Tua and their 3rd pick. The end. The longer they let this fester the worse on the whole organization. Why try to keep a guy who doesn’t want to play for you? You want people who want to be there obviously. You can mutually part ways. I like Watson, but this isn’t high school. Okay. Bye. And make your reimbursement check out to the Houston Texans, thanks for your time, and best of luck in Miami friend. You can make a reasonable effort to resolve whatever he’s upset about, but if he’s done with you then take control and be decisive so everyone can move on. You must think of the whole organization not one guy’s feelings. Letting this linger by getting into some sort of peeing contest is only going to sow discord among the rest of the team, upset fans more, hurt your deal leverage, AND you’ll still end up with the same outcome anyway.
I know that I am super OLD by having the opinion that I do, but why in the SAM HELL did Desean sign a BRAND NEW CONTRACT just like 3 months ago, if he didn’t like or trust the owner and the guys in charge?????
Correct me please if I am wrong, but didn’t they have the same exact owner and wasn’t Jack Easterby pretty much running the club on the day that Watson signed his mega-deal???
That’s a great point. Apparently Watson was cool with things and able to lay aside personnel decision disagreements when it involved a giant signing bonus. Unless he was being molested by staff I can’t imagine a good enough reason to hit the self destruct button with a team who is obviously committed to you. I wonder two things. 1)Is the level of dispute being blown way out of proportion by the media? 2)If it is a real dispute, has Watson surrounded himself with extremely BAD advisors who are filling his head with ideas and pushing him to leave because THEY want to?