HOUSTON — Greater than a 12 months after demanding to be traded, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is seemingly on the transfer.

The Texans Texans quarterback has waived his no-trade clause for Cleveland, in keeping with reviews from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and the NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport.

The deal nonetheless must be finalized, however with Watson going to Cleveland, Schefter says sources inform ESPN that Houston is predicted to get three first-round picks and a third-round decide, and doable one other decide within the fifth spherical. 

Watson himself appeared to substantiate the information on Instagram.

We’re engaged on particulars of this breaking story and can submit as we get them.

The information of Watson’s deal comes days after a Harris County grand jury declined to indict him on felony costs of sexual assault or harassment.

Regardless of being cleared of felony indictment, Watson nonetheless faces 22 civil lawsuits stemming from the allegations.

Watson had been on the buying and selling block since January 2021 when he first requested to be dealt. He had a no-trade clause in his contract which means he needed to approve any transfer the Texans made involving him.

All alongside, the Texans have been asking for 3 first spherical picks and two second spherical picks in alternate for Watson. And in keeping with Watson’s facet, potential presents have been on the desk from totally different groups now for some time. 

Watson requested for a commerce in January 2021, however that was earlier than he was going through 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct. The NFL was additionally wanting into the allegations, as was the FBI, Watson’s legal professional, Rusty Hardin, confirms. 

Watson was anticipated to be the franchise quarterback after being drafted within the first spherical by the Texans in 2017 out of Clemson. 

We’re engaged on this breaking story and could have updates all through the day. 

In his profession, Watson has thrown for greater than 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns. He led Houston to the AFC division title in 2018 and 2019. 

Watson didn’t play a snap for Houston through the 2021-22 season. When beginning quarterback Tyrod Taylor went down with an harm, the group turned to Davis Mills and saved Watson on the checklist of inactive gamers. 

Right here’s a take a look at a few of the key points surrounding Watson and his future within the NFL.

Johna Stallings, chief of the grownup intercourse crimes and trafficking division with the Harris County District Legal professional’s Workplace, mentioned the grand jury’s resolution ended felony proceedings associated to Watson in Harris County.

However Watson remains to be going through separate civil proceedings for lawsuits filed by the 22 ladies who declare he harassed or assaulted them throughout massages.

Watson was questioned in a deposition for a kind of lawsuits for the primary time Friday. Tony Buzbee, who’s representing all the ladies accusing Watson of misconduct, mentioned the method of questioning Watson because the lawsuits transfer towards trial will proceed.

“The civil instances will proceed to collect steam,” Buzbee mentioned Friday. “We take Mr. Watson’s deposition once more Tuesday. Respect the method.”

No trial date has been set for the lawsuits.

Watson has not been punished by the NFL for these accusations. He requested for a commerce in January 2021 greater than two months earlier than the primary girl got here ahead and didn’t play for the Texans final season due to that request. 

Watson has not modified his stance on taking part in in Houston, forcing the group to deal him elsewhere.

Watson might nonetheless face punishment from the NFL regardless of not being charged criminally. 

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy mentioned final week that the league is “carefully monitoring all developments” and that matter “stays underneath evaluation of the non-public conduct coverage.”

A participant doesn’t need to be convicted and even charged with against the law to be disciplined underneath the league’s private conduct coverage.

In 2010, former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for six video games for violating the coverage every week after prosecutors determined to not cost him in a case involving a university pupil who accused him of sexually assaulting her in a Georgia nightclub. The suspension was decreased to 4 video games after he adopted the league’s tips and stayed out of bother over the subsequent few months.

In a letter to Roethlisberger saying the punishment, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged partly that: “The Private Conduct Coverage makes clear that I’ll impose self-discipline ‘even the place the conduct doesn’t end in conviction of against the law’ as, for instance, the place the conduct ‘imposes inherent hazard to the security and well-being of one other particular person.’”

Related Press reporter Juan Lozano contributed to this report.