Deshaun Watson’s status for the 2021-22 NFL season remains very unclear at this juncture.
Over the past few months the 25-year-old was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. The allegations were deeply explicit and troubling. Moreover, the text messages and imagery that emerged as a result of the accusations painted a disturbing picture.
That being said, the NFL is still investigating the claims made against Watson and there has been talk of him potentially settling with his accusers. As such, it appears as though the prospect of him playing next year is at the very least on the table.
It’s easy to forget now, but the offseason originally commenced with Watson demanding to be traded from the Houston Texans. It even got to the point where he expressed his preferred trade destination. If he is ultimately cleared to play next year, there is a very good chance it won’t be in Houston.
On Wednesday morning ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared on “The John Kincade Show” on 97.5 The Fanatic. During his segment, the veteran reporter offered the team that is currently best-positioned to make a move for Watson’s services.
“The [Philadelphia] Eagles are more equipped to make a run at DeShaun Watson than any other team out there,” Schefter said. “And if you put DeShaun Watson on the Philadelphia Eagles they become a Super Bowl contender right away.”
As far as Watson’s legal woes? Schefter doesn’t anticipate those being a problem.
“I’m operating under the assumption this will be settled,” he continued. “And when he is deemed able to play, the Philadelphia Eagles will be waiting.”
In case you’re wondering why Deshaun Watson’s girlfriend Jilly Anais is trending. https://t.co/sl7sHwecbN
— Game 7 (@game7__) March 19, 2021
This past season Watson threw for 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions – all while maintaining completion percentage of more than 70 percent. Clearly he is an incredible talent, and from a football perspective would be a welcome relief for a Philly group that has been making some questionable decisions as of late.
However, Watson’s status heading into next year is still very much in doubt. If he doesn’t end up settling, and if the NFL investigation turns up something especially damning, it wouldn’t be all that shocking to see him miss next season as well.
This promises to be an interesting next few months.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
