While NFL free agency officially opens today, all the buzz is surrounding a player who isn't a free agent: Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. According to one report, Watson now prefers to be dealt to either the San Francisco 49ers or Denver Broncos, but another report is that the Carolina Panthers will not be outbid for the former Clemson star. Long-time Houston Chronicle writer John McClain, who knows more about the Texans than anyone, tweeted Wednesday he now expects a Watson trade, and that carries the most weight. Houston has a contingency plan in place with Tyrod Taylor. SportsLine offers updated odds on whether Watson will be traded.
Here was McClain's tweet: "The Texans haven't said they're not trading Watson since January. I expect him to be traded." Back on Jan. 7, McClain tweeted this: "I've got a better chance of becoming the Texans' new head coach than Deshaun Watson has of being traded."
Watson has told new head coach David Culley that he does not want to play for Houston going forward. There's also the fact that Houston now has a backup plan in place for 2021 after signing the veteran QB Taylor to a one-year contract worth up to $12.5 million with incentives.
Ideally, Taylor would serve as Watson's backup next season but could also be a bridge quarterback for a year if the Texans take a raw rookie QB high in this year's draft with perhaps a pick from the New York Jets (hold No. 2 overall), Miami Dolphins (No. 3), Panthers (No. 8), Broncos (No. 9) or 49ers (No. 12).
Taylor is 24-21-1 as a starter in his career with the Ravens, Bills, Browns and Chargers. He never actually started for Baltimore, just one game last year with the Bolts and three with Cleveland early in 2018. In games in which Taylor has thrown at least 10 passes (a few in relief), his teams are 29-24-4 against the spread.
Watson reportedly preferred a trade to the Jets or Dolphins back in January but has soured for whatever reason on those teams and wants to go to San Francisco or Denver, according to Michael Lombardi of The Athletic. Then again, Joe Person of the same publication wrote today that Carolina is still locked in on Watson and that acquiring him is "Plan, A, B and C." The Panthers have cleared a lot of cap space this offseason and not added any marquee free agents to fill it yet.
In other Watson news, which should have no bearing on whether he is dealt, he has been sued by a female masseuse who claims she was sexually assaulted by the quarterback during a session. Watson responded on Twitter to word of the suit, saying he rejected "a baseless six-figure settlement demand," and that this is "about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that."
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will the Texans trade Deshaun Watson before Week 1?
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