It was a tough season for the Houston Texans. They didn’t have Deshaun Watson under center, coach David Culley struggled to make adjustments, and they finished with the worst record in the NFL.
To make things even worst, they don’t even have a Head Coach anymore and the future of their franchise QB is murky at best.
The Texans are likely to go through a major rebuild and it will take some time before they’re competitive again, but GM Nick Caseiro is confident in the future of the franchise.
Watson Won't Play For Texans Again, Says GM
In a recent interview with SportsRadio 610, Caserio admitted that the franchise has come to peace with the fact that Watson isn’t likely to play another snap for them ever again:
"There’s been some commentary that more than likely would not be the case," Caserio said, as quoted by NFL.com. "I think we just have to be open-minded and just take the information and process it, then ultimately make the decision we feel makes the most sense for everybody involved, whatever that looks like."
There's League-Wide Interest In Watson
The Clemson product is currently facing up to 22 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct but hasn’t been criminally charged, thus the NFL didn’t actually suspend him.
There’s growing optimism around the league that his legal turmoil will be settled sooner rather than later, and several QB-needy teams will line up to make a run at him.
Watson was eager to veto his no-trade clause to play for Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins, but now that they’ve fired him, they’re not likely to have a shot at him, per Pro Football Rumors.
Now, the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns all emerge as potential destinations.
Texans Will Listen To Offers For The Third-Overall Pick
The Texans will have the third-overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, which is stacked with potential franchise-changing players.
Nonetheless, they’re more than willing to listen to offers and move that pick at the right price:
"Absolutely. Always open for business. You never want to limit yourself," Caserio admitted. "I’ve always been open-minded when it comes to the draft. … Every team and every individual has a different philosophy. ‘We’re not gonna trade, we’re always going to pick, we’re not going to move.’ I think we’re a little bit more open-minded, progressive thinking, move up and down. And it’s not just move to move."
Caserio Says They're Open For Business
The GM said that the team will be open for business and willing to engage in talks with every other team for a potential move:
"Trades, specific to the draft, are always driven by A) player availability, B) where are you moving, what are you moving away from, and then C) what are you getting in return in terms of assets that can potentially fill out the rest of your team. So we’re rolling up our sleeves right now, going through that draft process," Caserio explained. "There’s a number of a good players that will be available. Again, we’re open for business on anything."
It’ll take a lot to lead the Texans back to contention, so they better make the most of the valuable assets they have right now.
]]>The Inquisitr
