A fourteen month long odyssey for this franchise is coming to an end as the Texans announced a trade agreement to send Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.
While football-wise it's been difficult for all parties, the very serious allegations in the 22 civil lawsuits the quarterback is facing remain a huge issue and should not be understated. But we'll focus on the gridiron in this space.
It's only the second trade in the history of the league that involved at least three first-round draft picks for a player. Nick Caserio will be able to cash in on the Texans number three overall pick in the draft and pick 13, previously belonging to the Browns.
The Twitter debates on what the comp is beyond the three first-rounders is like arguing over side dishes at a steakhouse. The three ones are N.Y. Strip, medium, with the Oscar topping (my fave, you might have yours). The sides are nice, but the main course is what counts.
The Texans are in a good spot with the equivalent of two NFL lottery picks that will be put to good use in 40 days. More good news is that they don't have to reach on a quarterback because Davis Mills played well down the stretch of '21 and is eager to take the next step this season.
After the day's news he tweeted "Let's work!" and the comments were resoundingly positive and excited.
It's been a long, strange journey to get here. Watson put up big numbers and made spectacular plays until his trade demand and the lawsuits put he and the team in a bizarre and unprecedented situation.
With no viable trade possibilities and no suspension from the league, he resided on the team's 53 man roster for an entire season. His no-trade clause gave him veto power over any deal and he took the opportunity to reportedly meet with four teams who were willing to make a deal. Ultimately the Texans got their price and the quarterback moved on.
The NFL is a continuing saga. We won't know exactly how these picks play out for some time. We also won't know how successful Cleveland's investment will prove to be. For now we have closure on the football side of things while the rest of the more important matters play out legally.
By the way, the Browns visit NRG Stadium this season.
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