Deshaun Watson Trade Rumors: 'Texans Don't Plan to Lessen Their Asking Price' for QB

Deshaun Watson is facing 22 lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct, but the Houston Texans have no plans on lowering their asking price for the quarterback.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported the Texans still plan to ask teams for "five to seven assets, including three first-round picks" in trade talks this offseason.

Watson is also facing a criminal investigation and a probe by the NFL over the accusations, which led to him sitting out the entire 2021 season as a healthy inactive.

The three-time Pro Bowler requested a trade from the Texans last offseason before the accusations were made public. While the team shopped Watson, it found few takers willing to take a risk while litigation was ongoing. It's highly likely Watson will face a suspension from the NFL under the personal conduct policy, regardless of the result of his criminal and civil cases. 

Teams will likely remain unwilling to meet the Texans' asking price—or come even close—until the legal situation is settled. Any team that eventually does trade for Watson faces a firestorm of public-relations backlash, along with likely being without him for several games during the 2022 season.

The Miami Dolphins were the team most heavily linked to Watson in 2021, but it appears they're committed to Tua Tagovailoa under new coach Mike McDaniel. Jonathan Alexander of the Charlotte Observer reported the Carolina Panthers are expected to be among the teams interested in Watson this offseason.