The Texans Are Set Up to Lose Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt in the Same Offseason
Deshaun Watson‘s trade request from the Houston Texans has rightfully dominated the headlines since the star quarterback is one of the best players in the NFL. However, Texans fans can’t forget about JJ Watt‘s future.
All signs point toward Houston trading Watson once the offseason begins. The Pro Bowler has formally requested a trade and hasn’t spoken to new Texans general manager Nick Caserio or executive Jack Easterby since he’s upset with the organization.
The saying “when it rains, it pours” has come to fruition for Texans fans. They will not only lose Deshaun Watson, but it looks like JJ Watt has played his final snap for Houston as well.
Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt experienced only four wins in 2020
The Texans were a walking disaster in 2020 despite having Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt on the roster. The team went 4-12 and finished in third place in the AFC South standings.
Watson led the NFL in passing yards, which was really impressive considering the Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. The gunslinger racked up 4,823 passing yards and threw 33 touchdowns while completing 70.2% of his passes.
A future Hall of Famer, Watt recorded 5.0 sacks and 36 solo tackles for the Texans. Houston, though, gave up 29.0 points per game, which was 27th in the NFL. The Texans’ four wins came against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and New England Patriots. Houston defeated Jacksonville twice.
Deshaun Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he’s in full control of his trade request. Meanwhile, JJ Watt has one year left on his deal with Houston, and there’s a belief the superstar defender–like Watson–will be on a new team next season.
There’s a belief that JJ Watt may have played his last game with the Texans
NFL Network reports that JJ Watt has likely played his final snap for the Texans. The former Defensive Player of the Year has a base salary of $17.5 million for 2021.
After the Texans’ final game of the 2020 season, Watt was shown by NFL Films apologizing to Deshaun Watson for Houston’s dreadful campaign. Multiple reports have stated that Watson doesn’t plan to change his mind about his trade request, so the Texans may have to find a trade partner for Watt before or after moving their franchise QB.
Houston is on the verge of losing DeAndre Hopkins, Deshaun Watson, and JJ Watt in back-to-back offseasons. Texans fans should be angry, as the franchise has done a terrible job in the front office.
Where will the two stars end up?
Deshaun Watson gets to choose where the Texans trade him, while JJ Watt is hopeful of getting traded to a contender. There’s also the possibility of Houston cutting Watt and allowing him to enter unrestricted free agency.
It’s going to be fascinating to see where Watson and Watt are playing in 2021. The electric QB has been linked to the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Chicago Bears. Meanwhile, multiple teams will be interested in trading for Watt if he becomes available in trade talks.
Texans fans deserve better than this. However, barring a miracle, they are about to watch their favorite football team lose Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt in the same offseason.
Stats courtesy of Football Reference.
