Deshaun Watson Has No Trade Market and You Have to Mention Why

Deshaun Watson is still a member of the Houston Texans. This is despite the fact that Watson's personal quarterback coach, Quincy Avery, went on the Adam Schefter Podcast last week and said that Watson would be traded by Sunday.

I think it's time to point out that all the people discussing Watson's trade demands and the Texans' sudden change of tune about trading the quarterback are either completely delusional or deliberately obtuse. As a colleague pointed out just this morning, we don't even know if this guy will ever play football again. The idea that a team would trade for him before this is all cleared up and gone away is absolutely insane. To trade for Deshaun Watson right now would be like lighting draft picks on fire.

I understand it is a very sensitive situation and people just want to talk about the football thing. Except the football thing doesn't exist seperately. This is Waton's reality. Who knows how long it will even take for this all to play out whichever way it goes. He could be the NFL's biggest monster, the victim of an incredible conspiracy, or anywhere in between. The fact that the Texans have suddenly, publicly decided that they are ready to entertain trade offers in the midst of all this may be the craziest of all.

It is insane that Watson and his various situations somehow fell to the background during the offseason. It's probably because Aaron Rodgers, another MVP-caliber quarterback, is in a much more watercooler conversation safe situation. He wants a trade just like Watson, but he's marrying an actress, vacationing with celebrities and hosting Jeopardy. Which one would you rather discuss on Get Up?

But now that football season is arriving. Now that teams are coming to training camp, Watson's off-field situation can't be ignored. There is no question that Watson the football player is worth multiple first-round picks. You can't discuss the fact that no one is willing to make a single offer for him without at least mentioning why.

We've reached another one of those points where someone has to do something. Watson has decided he's going to show up for work. He has to be a huge distraction, right? The guy with dozens of sexual assault allegations over his head who has no plans to be on the team anyway seems like a pretty big distraction. Will he be allowed to address the media? What could he even say at this point? Either the Texans or the NFL has to send him home.

How far can this go? Will he simply take all the first team reps, while expecting to be traded by a team now trying to trade him, and continue to ignore the off-field situation? Will he end up starting week 1? It seems unlikely, but at this point, who knows.