Deshaun Watson Requests Trade From Houston Texans

Quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a trade from the Houston Texans. Watson made the formal request to the team weeks ago, per ESPN.

Watson, 25, signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Texans in September and is under contract until 2025. His contract has a no-trade clause, and it is possible for the team to franchise tag him for three years, extending the control of his rights through the 2028 season.

The trade request followed Watson’s unhappiness concerning new general manager hire Nick Caserio‘s process. It should be noted that the Texans’ new head-coach hire, David Culley, has not and will not alter Watson’s thinking, according to ESPN. Watson has not spoken to GM Caserio or executive Jack Easterby.

After Watson signed his contract extension last year, he talked about how happy he was to commit to the Texans franchise and the city of Houston.

“It’s just an amazing moment for me to be able to extend my career in a location, in a place, in a home, I would say, that my family loves, that I love,” Watson said in September. “I want to continue to dive into the community most of all and just continue to build my legacy, just build our legacy as a whole and do something that we’ve never done before.”

Watson has played a total of four seasons and 54 games. In those four seasons, Watson’s 104 passing touchdowns and 14,539 passing yards rank second in franchise history behind Matt Schaub, who produced 124 touchdowns and 23,221 passing yards in 90 games.

Watson set career highs this past season, specifically in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage. His 33 touchdowns and 4,823 passing yards marked single-season franchise records.

It will be interesting to see where Watson lands. Several teams have a glaring need at the quarterback position. However, Watson likely wants to play for a contender. Time will tell, but this story continues to escalate at a rapid pace. Be on the lookout for breaking news, as the Texans could decide to deal Watson at any moment.