Four teams remain in the NFL playoffs, and the Texans, who have an unhappy quarterback and no head coach, are as relevant as any of them. Every report about Deshaun Watson’s frustration leads to a new round of mock trades for one of football’s brightest young stars.
Beyond the fact Texans officials remain adamant the team will not trade Watson, there’s another problem with all of these proposed deals: They’re centered on what picks other teams can offer in the 2021 NFL Draft.
On that basis, the Jets, who have the No. 2 pick this year and an additional first-round pick next year, could build the strongest package of assets to acquire Watson. But even if Watson requests a trade tomorrow, the Texans don’t have to accommodate that request this offseason.
After signing a $156 million extension in September, Watson is under team control for five more seasons. His only leverage is withholding his services, and if the Texans trade him…
