Let the staring begin.
While star quarterback Deshaun Watson has officially requested a trade, the Texans also have a possible resort to pressure him to stay in Houston, according to multiple reports Thursday.
Watson himself certainly has a lot of clout, with a no-trade clause in his contract that gives him control over where he could land, but the Texans can also play hardball and punch Watson in the wallet if he chooses to hold out until trade flourishes.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Texans can fin Watson $ 95,877 for missing a mini-camp, $ 50,000 for each missed training camp day, and $ 620,000 for each game missed in the preseason. In a nuclear scenario, if Watson retired instead of playing for the Texans again, they could also take in $ 21.6 million per ESPN.
Still, 25-year-old Watson signed a $ 160 million four-year extension in September, $ 73 million of which was guaranteed upon signing. There is no guarantee that the fines will work to get Watson to pursue his career with the Texans.
“This is the one thing that will affect this situation with Watson more than anything else: his willingness to lose money,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah tweeted. “I think he’s a very principled guy and he would love to do that. This is how he gains leverage. The threat of financial loss does not bother him. “
It’s a messy situation for new general manager Nick Caserio and head coach David Culley to step in. The Texans reportedly hired Culley as their new coach on Wednesday night, but that “has not changed Watson’s thinking,” ESPN reported.