With seven lawsuits filed, five more promised, and at least 10 more possibly coming, common sense suggests that it has become difficult if not impossible for the Texans to trade quarterback Deshaun Watson. A Saturday report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle suggests otherwise.
Wilson cites unnamed sources to support the claim that multiple teams remain interested in Watson: Eagles, Panthers, Jets, Dolphins, 49ers and Broncos.
Being interested and actually making a trade are two different things. With the current legal cloud(s) over Watson, anyone who trades for him would assume the risk that Watson will be suspended without pay, eventually. The new team also would possibly have to pay Watson, if he’s placed on the Commissioner-Exempt list while the various lawsuits proceed -- or while a prosecution happens.
For now, it’s hard to imagine anyone trading for Watson. That could change in time. His lawyer, Rusty Hardin, has said that a response to the allegations is coming this week. With so many persons making claims against Watson, it won’t be easy for Hardin to make this all go away.
All parties in this matter have rights, and those rights can’t quickly be resolved. Separately, the NFL’s in-house justice system moves as fast or as slow as the league wants it to.