The Houston Texans may be inching closing to trading DeShaun Watson ahead of the Nov. 2 deadline, and the Miami Dolphins are widely viewed as the most likely suitor for the star quarterback. There may be another team that wants Watson, but the interest is apparently not mutual.
According to Texans reporter Aaron Wilson, the Philadelphia Eagles were aggressive in pursuing Watson at one point. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman even went through the trouble of contacting Watson’s legal team and sending an investigator to Houston. The issue is Watson has a no-trade clause, and he reportedly does not want to play for Philly.
.@AaronWilson_NFL says Howie Roseman at one point contacted Deshaun Watson’s legal team and even sent an investigator down to Houston but ultimately Watson doesn't want to play for the #Eagles.
(@ZachGelb Show) pic.twitter.com/CVHwRfKiBt
— CBS Sports Radio (@CBSSportsRadio) October 21, 2021
“(Watson) has some power in this. He can choose his own team,” Wilson said. “If he says no, the trade’s a no. I think for Philly, Howie’s been pretty pragmatic about it where he’s kept tabs on this, I just don’t see him getting back involved.”
If Watson only wants to play for the Dolphins, that creates an obvious problem for the Texans. It’s possible Houston leaked the information on Wednesday about a Watson trade being imminent in an attempt to bring more teams to the table or pressure Miami to increase its offer.
Of course, Watson’s pending legal issues are the biggest obstacle standing in the way of a trade. The 25-year-old is facing sexual assault allegations from multiple women. He remains eligible to play, but the Texans have made him a healthy scratch all year. Should they trade him, the NFL can still place Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt list. That is undoubtedly something the Dolphins and other teams are weighing.
