At this point, only a freak “cyberattack” can undo the Deshaun Watson trade that saw Houston send the quarterback to the Browns in a March blockbuster, according to Texans GM Nick Caserio.
During an appearance on SportsRadio 610 Thursday, Caserio was asked if the trade — in which Cleveland sent three first-round picks, along with a third-rounder and and two fourth-round selections — is final.
“Any trade — forget about this particular one — any trade that takes place, so there’s a process that you have to go through,” Caserio said. “Teams agree on that and then once you agree on that, it gets submitted to the league. The transaction gets processed and it goes on file with the league. Unless there’s somebody that’s gonna go in there, you know, overnight in a mask and try to get on a computer, and may have a cyberattack like that, I’m not sure anything that can be done there.
“No different than a draft day trade. Even though it kind of happens more in real time. You have an agreement in place, OK, you contact the league. Or we have a trade, we have an agreement, send the paperwork along, and everybody goes on their merry way. Unless I’m missing something, or unless [you] call [NFL Commissioner Roger] Goodell and ask him for interpretation and opinion, I would say that whatever trades have happened have happened in the past, and now we’re just focused on training camp and moving forward with the team.”
Deshaun Watson is practicing with the Browns during training camp as the NFL investigates the claims made against him.Getty ImagesThe Browns won a multi-team race for Watson in March, after the quarterback requested a trade out of Houston last January. Cleveland officially signed Watson to a record five-year, $230 million contract fully guaranteed — after two separate grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges in relation to 22 ongoing sexual assault allegations against him.
Watson currently faces 24 active civil lawsuits, filed by massage therapists, alleging sexual misconduct. The initial 22 lawsuits first emerged last March, and an additional two lawsuits recently came to light after two of Watson’s accusers spoke out on HBO’s “Real Sports,” which aired in May.
Last Tuesday, The New York Times published a report, which claimed Watson used “at least” 66 female massage therapists between the fall of 2019 and the spring of 2021.
Texans GM Nick Caserio isn’t concerned about his Deshaun Watson trade being reversed.Getty ImagesThe NFL is in the midst of its own investigation into 22 lawsuits, which became public in March 2021. It’s unclear if the league is investigating the additional two lawsuits, as it continues to prolong its review in Watson.
On Thursday, Pro Football Talk reported that the NFL Players Association is preparing an aggressive defense strategy in support of the Browns quarterback, in the chance that Watson faces an “unprecedented” punishment by the league.
The union reportedly plans to take specific aim at the NFL’s handling of Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones concerning their off-field controversies — with an emphasis that Watson’s punishment is not proportional to the punishment of those owners.
Watson has continued to deny any wrongdoing since the allegations were made public last March. He did the same on Tuesday while addressing the situation to reporters amid Cleveland’s mandatory minicamp.
Since Watson arrived in Cleveland he has been adamant about clearing his name. Amidst that process, his teammates and Browns brass have reportedly embraced Watson without issue.
