Whenever Texans coach David Culley fields questions about quarterback Deshaun Watson, the non-answer comes with a delivery that best could be described as frenetic bewilderment.
On Wednesday, Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly gave a real answer about Watson’s current whereabouts. (We haven’t seen the video and thus can’t comment on whether the explanation was either frenetic or bewildered.)
The context -- now that the Texans are practicing in pads, Watson isn’t present at practice. As Kelly explained it, Watson is attending meetings.
“He’s been a great asset for us in the room and some of the stuff we do, how he sees it and how he sees the intent of the plays,” Kelly said, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. “It’s been great. He’s been very helpful with those players. Again, we’re doing a good job of keeping him engaged and going through some different stuff with him. He’s been good for those players.”
Via McClain, Watson hasn’t been on the practice field because he has injuries to his ankle and calf. It’s unknown whether those injuries would keep him from practicing but for the bizarre and awkward posture that player and team currently occupy, given Watson’s desire to be traded, the team’s desire to trade him, the uncertainty arising from 22 civil lawsuits, the existence of 10 criminal complaints, the inevitability of a grand jury taking up the matter, and the possibility of an indictment.
“We’re worried about the guys that are out there practicing,” Kelly said. “Tyrod’s taking the [first-team] snaps, and we’ve got [Jeff Driskel] and Davis, and they’re doing a good job for us. We’re getting those three players ready to go.”
Implicit in that remark is the reality that they’re not getting the fourth player ready to go. Well, they’re getting him ready to literally go. The question is where he’ll be going and whether he’ll be sent in that direction via negotiation between two NFL teams or decree of the league office.