The Houston Texans have endured a tumultuous offseason that has included star quarterback Deshaun Watson reportedly requesting a trade and later learning he was facing at least 22 lawsuits alleging acts of sexual assault and misconduct, the acquisitions of veteran backup signal-caller Tyrod Taylor and also Ryan Finley, and the club spending a third-round draft selection on Stanford QB Davis Mills.
Per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Texans owner Cal McNair offered as much of an update on Watson's future as possible on Tuesday.
"I really don’t have anything new," McNair explained. "There’s ongoing investigations, and we really can’t comment until they run their course."
Watson has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing amid the allegations but could be prevented from playing during the 2021 season via either the NFL's personal conduct policy or the commissioner's exempt list regardless of if he wins cases or settles out of court. ESPN's Adam Schefter explained over the weekend some inside of NFL circles believe Watson will remain sidelined until 2022 at the earliest:
"There are people in league circles who believe Deshaun Watson will not play this season. There are people who believe his career in Houston is over."@AdamSchefter gives an update on the Texans' QB situation, including the status of Deshaun Watson. pic.twitter.com/vWtQznr01H
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 1, 2021
It remains unlikely any team will actively pursue the 25-year-old until his status for the upcoming campaign is known.
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