NFL notebook: Deshaun Watson saga continues to drag on; Saleh hired by Jets
Don’t expect the Deshaun Watson story to slow down any time soon.
The Houston Texans’ star quarterback is reportedly unhappy, which has become one of the biggest stories in the NFL amid last weekend’s start to the new-look playoff format that included six games during “Super Wild Card Weekend.”
Will Watson demand a trade? Will his relationship with Houston be salvaged or is the toothpaste out of the tube?
Don’t expect these answers to crystallize any time soon. The new league year doesn’t begin until March 17, which means we could be two months from a resolution. What’s clear is Watson will be one of the biggest dominoes of the NFL offseason.
Of course, the Watson saga will be watched closely by Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers, who said they expect Jimmy Garoppolo to remain the starting quarterback in 2021 while leaving the door open for a possible upgrade. They had a similar approach last offseason, after they lost the Super Bowl, when they kicked the tires on Tom Brady.
Watson, 25, would be that upgrade — which, theoretically, is why Shanahan wouldn’t guarantee Garoppolo as the starter next fall. Garoppolo will presumably have a healthy right ankle, while the team hopes to get back to the Super Bowl following its forgettable 6-10 campaign in 2020.
“Kyle and I both have spoken and spoken fairly directly as to the fact that we expect Jimmy to be our quarterback and that’s consistently met with other stories, but that’s not of concern to us because, as of right now, (CEO) Jed (York) has charged us with being the two guys (making decisions),” general manager John Lynch said last week.
Watson’s dissatisfaction with the Texans reportedly began last offseason when the team traded away star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for a package including running back David Johnson. The deal was widely panned for not getting enough in return. The angst grew when the team told the franchise quarterback he would be involved in the hiring process for general manager and head coach this offseason.
Yet Watson reportedly wasn’t included in the process of hiring former Patriots executive, Nick Caserio. Watson tweeted, “some things never change ...” which was deleted soon after getting sent in reaction to Caserio’s hiring. Watson’s not the only current or former player with strong views about the organization.
The team’s all-time leading receiver, Andre Johnson weighed in with a harsh criticism.
Watson signed a five-year, $156 million contract extension is September. It included a no-trade clause, which means he’ll have the right to pick his destination if the Texans are willing to make a trade. What’s unclear is if the no-trade clause will depress the compensation Houston could demand in return.
Under normal circumstances, the Texans could hold an auction, in theory, and send Watson to the highest bidder. But because Watson can veto any trade, he could control the list of available suitors, which could affect the haul Houston gets back.
So if Watson makes it clear he wants to come to the 49ers and only the 49ers, San Francisco wouldn’t have to outbid other teams. It would be up to them and Caserio to hammer out an agreement.
Disgruntled NFL stars demanding trades isn’t a new concept, but it’s rare for quarterbacks. Carson Palmer, when he asked out of Cincinnati in 2011, was the most similar example to what could unfold with Watson. Palmer wanted a trade and the Raiders sent the Bengals first-round picks in 2012 and 2013. Watson could be next.
But it appears Houston is doing what it can to reconcile with Watson. The team this week requested to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, whom Watson has reportedly made it known he would like to play for. Bieniemy can’t be interviewed until after the Super Bowl, so a hire might not happen until next month if Houston decides to make him the focus of their coaching search.
That might be the best way to ensure Watson doesn’t demand a trade. If he does demand out, then it would be awfully hard for Houston to keep him around in an untenable situation.
And like Brady last spring, expect the 49ers to get mentioned as a possible suitor until there’s a resolution.
Saleh gets second interview with Jets
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh traveled to the East Coast this week for a second interview with the New York Jets. It paid off Thursday night as news leaked Saleh was hired by the New York Jets.
Saleh interviewed with six teams looking for new head coaches: Detroit, the Jets, Jacksonville, Chargers, Falcons and Philadelphia. The Texans were the only team looking that didn’t request an interview with Saleh.
▪ The Seahawks fired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer following the team’s loss to the Rams in the opening round of the playoffs. 49ers assistants Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur could be candidates for that opening, as they are to potentially join Saleh if and when he takes a head coaching job.
▪ Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, 60, retired after spending the last two seasons with Chicago. Pagano also served as the head coach for the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017 with a record of 53-43. He didn’t finish below .500 until his last season, when he went 4-12. He spent time away from the team in 2012 when he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia.
NFL playoff schedule, TV and odds
Here’s the weekend’s schedule of divisional round playoff games.
Saturday:
Rams (+6.5) at Packers, 1:35 p.m., FOX
Ravens (+2.5) at Bills, 5:15 p.m., NBC
Sunday:
Browns (+10) at Chiefs, 12:05 p.m., CBS
Buccaneers (+3) at Saints, 3:40 p.m., FOX
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 7:02 AM.
