Deshaun Watson unhappy with Texans, ignoring team's phone calls amid regime change, per reports
The star quarterback is reportedly also considering a trade request
By
Cody Benjamin
In September, the
Houston Texans gave
Deshaun Watson a four-year, $156 million contract extension to keep the star quarterback in town through 2025. Less than four months later, Watson is supremely unhappy with the organization and ignoring phone calls from team management amid rumors he's considering a trade request. That's according to
ESPN and
NFL Network, which reported Thursday that the Texans' regime change -- specifically their process in hiring a new general manager -- has frustrated the QB.
Days after the Texans
reportedly struck a deal with longtime New England Patriots executive Nick Caserio to be the club's next GM, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Watson is infuriated not by Caserio's hiring per se, but the way Houston went about hiring him. The QB recently met with team owner Cal McNair to discuss potential GM candidates, suggesting the organization at least consult its players before finalizing a decision, but ultimately never got the opportunity to clear GM finalists with teammates, per Schefter.
Additionally, the Texans did not inform Watson that they intended to hire Caserio, and he found out about the hire Tuesday on social media. ... Last offseason, Houston didn't let Watson know that star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins would be traded, which led to some disappointment. Now that it has happened again, Watson is said to be infinitely more bothered, sources told ESPN.
Now, the question becomes what Watson does next. "Extremely unhappy,"
per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the three-time Pro Bowler has not spoken with Texans executives in several days -- presumably since Caserio's hiring surfaced -- despite the team attempting to call him. Earlier in the day,
ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported that Watson has already "quietly broached with teammates the possibility of requesting a trade."
Just 25 and coming off a career season despite the Texans' 4-12 finish, Watson would likely fetch multiple first-round draft picks -- in addition to more compensation -- in the event the QB actually requested a move and Houston listened to offers.
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