Will Deshaun Watson be part of QB trade market this year?

It’s a variant of the question that’s been asked forever: Will Deshaun Watson be traded?

Okay, so maybe not “forever, but at this point it sure does feel like everyone has been waiting that long. Deshaun Watson has had multiple teams become interested and then lose interest since being accused of 22 different instances of sexual misconduct and assault.

The Athletic recently published an article that talked about quarterback trades hitting a “fever pitch” (paywall notice) at March’s upcoming NFL Combine. While that article is behind a paywall, it can be answered within these confines for Texans fans and others to see.

So will Deshaun Watson get traded? It’s complicated, as his February deposition date did nothing to expedite the process. Because of a handful of reasons, Watson’s decision was basically pushed back to April 1st.

Deshaun Watson will most likely not get traded

To be very clear, that is not confirmed, that is just my take with all the knowledge that we have so far. Nick Caserio, Houston’s general manager wanted to have a trade done before the start of the new league year (March 16th). The delaying of depositions and everything that goes with it is going to drastically change teams’ plans.

It wouldn’t make sense for a team to go through free agency and possibly the draft with their plans not including Watson, then just to become interested in the instance Watson settles his legal cases or is even released.

Watson’s cap hit is extraordinarily exorbitant, with a whopping $40.4 million cap hit. Very few teams could absorb that contract without having to move heaven and earth to make that happen.  Not to mention Caserio’s desire for a king’s ransom for compensation for someone who may never play again.

Watson’s trade hopes may be facing their final hour, as his 2023 cap hit jumps up to $42 million. That may seem like a whisper on a scream, but it doesn’t help Watson or the Texans.