Texans GM Nick Caserio: Deshaun Watson trade can't be undone

Before it was learned earlier on Thursday that "the NFL Players Association is bracing for a recommendation by the league of 'unprecedented' punishment" of Cleveland Browns star quarterback Deshaun Watson, it was reported last week the Browns were "still all-in" on Watson and had no plans to void the fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract they awarded him after they traded with the Houston Texans for his services in March. 

Friday's story from Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com also claimed that "sources say nothing has taken place that has the Browns trying to void the blockbuster trade with the Texans — which included sending three first-round draft picks and three other picks to the Texans in exchange for Watson and a sixth-rounder" even though the signal-caller may soon be facing a total of 26 active civil lawsuits regarding allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. 

Watson's playing status for the 2022 season remains in doubt, but Texans general manager Nick Caserio made it clear during a Thursday appearance on Houston's SportsRadio 610 that the Browns are essentially attached to the 26-year-old, moving forward, for better or for worse. 

"Any trade — forget about this particular one — any trade that takes place, so there’s a process that you have to go through," Caserio explained, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "Teams agree on that and then once you agree on that, it gets submitted to the league. The transaction gets processed and it goes on file with the league. Unless there’s somebody that’s gonna go in there, you know, overnight in a mask and try to get on a computer, and may have a cyberattack like that, I’m not sure anything that can be done there.

"No different than a draft day trade. Even though it kind of happens more in real time. You have an agreement in place, OK, you contact the league. Or we have a trade, we have an agreement, send the paperwork along, and everybody goes on their merry way. Unless I’m missing something, or unless [you] call Goodell and ask him for interpretation and opinion, I would say that whatever trades have happened have happened in the past, and now we’re just focused on training camp and moving forward with the team."

Florio added: 

"Nothing can be done at this point. The trade happened. It’s over. It’s done. The Browns knew or should have known about the circumstances surrounding Watson. They assumed the risk that there will be more lawsuits. They assumed the risk that there will be more negative media coverage. They assumed the risk of one or more adverse verdicts against Watson. They assumed the risk of whatever the league may do with Watson under the Personal Conduct Policy." 

Backup Jacoby Brissett will become Cleveland's temporary QB1 if Watson is banned from playing, as the Browns are still hoping some team will trade for former starter Baker Mayfield before training camps open next month.