The upcoming NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 2, will go a long way in determining the future of the 1-6 Houston Texans. They are the worst team in the league, tensions are bubbling internally, and the toxicity of embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson lingers.
As Trade Rumors Swirl, Two New Women Come Forward With Complaints Against Deshaun Watson
Watson’s 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct are still pending and will likely have to be settled before the team can execute a trade. According to Yahoo Sports, the settlement of the lawsuits is what is holding up a proposed trade between the Texans and the Miami Dolphins for Watson.
Deshaun Watson A Miami Dolphin? | Texans Trade Rumors Heating Up
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported that the Texans are engaged in talks with multiple suitors, not just the Dolphins, and it’s likely Watson will be moved by the deadline.
From @GMFB: The Deshaun Watson trade talks are intensifying. pic.twitter.com/ivkD7mKZG7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 25, 2021
It is incredible the lengths some NFL teams are willing to go to in the name of landing a Pro Bowl quarterback in his physical prime. Through his attorney, Watson has denied any wrongdoing.
Whichever team trades for Watson will still have to contend with his uncertainty for the current and future seasons. Given the seriousness of the allegations levied, and the league’s code of conduct policy, nobody knows if Watson will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list by Roger Goodell.
“There obviously are other legal approaches that are being made, either through the civil cases,” Goodell said at the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday. “Obviously the police have been investigating also. We don’t have all the access to that information at this point in time, and we pride ourselves on not interfering in that, being as cooperative as we can to make sure we get all the facts.
“But I think that process is still ongoing, and until that process isn’t ongoing and we have enough data and enough information to be able to make a determination of whether he should go on commissioner exempt, we don’t feel we have that necessary information at this point.”
This situation is ugly and the Texans undoubtedly want to move on from it as well compensated as possible.
Which brings us to Wednesday’s trade of Mark Ingram. He is the Texans’ leading rusher this season, running for 294 yards and a touchdown on 92 carries.
The team is moving on from higher-paid veterans in favor of draft picks and young players. It’s clear that the team is rebuilding.
The trade was not received kindly in the locker room, and it has been reported that several players are extremely unhappy.
Brandin Cooks, a veteran and the team’s leading receiver, took to Twitter to show his displeasure immediately after the Ingram trade was announced.
This is bullshit. Such a joke
— Brandin Cooks (@brandincooks) October 27, 2021
The shelf life of a football player is short. Cooks’ frustration is understandable, he’s in the prime of his career coming off another 1,000-yard receiving season. With the team clearly rebuilding, this is likely something he wants no part of.
It’s possible he’s one of the next players to be dealt by the team.
Halloween is approaching. No doubt the Texans would like this nightmare season to end.
