Report: Texans prepared to make Deshaun Watson inactive every week

The Houston Texans are working to trade Deshaun Watson ahead of the start of the NFL season. Even if they’re unable to work out a deal, it sounds like Watson may never play another snap for the team.

Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790 reported on Monday that the Texans are prepared to pay Watson to sit on the bench for them this season. They are willing to keep him on the 53-man roster but make him inactive every week, which means Watson would still be able to collect his $10 million salary.

Texans are prepared to have Deshaun Watson on the 53-man roster and inactive every week, according to multiple league sources. Watson, who has issued a standing trade request with no deal imminent, would be paid his $10.54 million salary

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 30, 2021

That meshes with what Ian Rapoport of NFL Media said Monday, which is that the Texans may prefer to trade Watson next offseason. If they trade Watson now for, say, three first-round picks, they’ll have no way of knowing where in the first round next year’s pick will fall. Also, teams reportedly are asking Houston about pick protections because of the unresolved legal issues regarding the sexual assault allegations against Watson. The Texans would obviously prefer not to get into that.

There’s a good chance Watson will be eligible to play the entire 2021 season. But, unless he is traded, we may not see him at all over the next four or five months.