Carmen Mandato
Several Houston Texans players signaled their support for quarterback Deshaun Watson to do “what is best for himself” amid rumors that he could seek an exchange after growing discontent with the franchise.
Greg Bishop and Jenny Vrentas de Sports illustrated reported on Saturday “many” teammates expressed similar feelings to what the defensive side of Texans JJ Watt delivered to Watson after the team’s defeat in week 17 to the Tennessee Titans to complete a 4-12 season:
“He just wants to leave,” said a source close to Watson Sports illustrated.
Watson was excellent during the campaign, taking second place in the NFL in the rank of passer (112.4), but it seems that his frustration stems from what has happened since the end of the season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 7 that the 25-year-old Clemson product was not happy that Texans hired New England Patriots executive Nick Caserio as their new general manager after a process in which they “did not considered or consulted “their preferred candidates for the position.
Watson also “quietly discussed the possibility of requesting an exchange with his colleagues,” says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The three-time Pro Bowler caused a stir on Friday afternoon with an enigmatic Twitter post:
Schefter reported on Sunday that Watson’s level of anger after the Texans negotiated DeAndre Hopkins with the Arizona Cardinals in March was two. After Caserio was signed, it was a 10.
Texas President Cal McNair said on Friday that he understands that Watson is frustrated with the way GM’s hiring has gone and noted that he contacted the quarterback by text message to keep him informed of the coach’s vacancy. the club.
“That is the intention,” McNair
told reporters. “We want him on the circuit and part of the process.”
The question is whether the Houston chief’s latest efforts came too late.
Watson was already upset about McNair’s previous comments during his press conference to introduce Caserio, when he said he “got it [Watson’s] point of view before meeting the candidates “, which the defender considered” paternalistic “, according to the Sports illustrated report.
The Georgia native also received words of wisdom from two of the best players in the franchise’s history, Hopkins and Andre Johnson, who suggested that executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby is a problem:
Franchise defenders are hard to come by, and if tensions between the sides reach a point where the front line has no choice but to seek an exchange, it will probably be years before the organization can find a replacement for Watson.
Therefore, it is likely that Texans will use a total blitz to restore the relationship, standing out for giving him an important voice in the search for the main coach. Still, there is no doubt that the situation has become one of the main off-season stories.
A highly successful business could shift the NFL’s balance of power toward the 2021 campaign.