Not indicted, what’s next for Deshaun Watson?

A grand jury declined to indict Deshaun Watson on Friday following a police investigation sparked by lawsuits filed by 22 ladies who’ve accused him of sexual assault or harassment.

However there are nonetheless loads of questions surrounding the Houston Texans star quarterback and when he may return to the sector after lacking your complete 2021 season.

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

ARE WATSON’S LEGAL TROUBLES OVER?

Johna Stallings, chief of the grownup intercourse crimes and trafficking division with the Harris County District Legal professional’s Workplace, stated the grand jury’s determination ended prison proceedings associated to Watson in Harris County, the place Houston is situated.

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, stated the method of questioning Watson because the lawsuits transfer towards trial will proceed.

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

No trial date has been set for the lawsuits.

WHY DID WATSON SIT OUT LAST SEASON?

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 lady 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 crew to try to deal him elsewhere.

COULD HE STILL BE DISCIPLINED?

Watson may nonetheless face punishment from the NFL regardless of not being charged criminally. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy stated final week that the league is “carefully monitoring all developments” and that matter “stays below evaluate of the non-public conduct coverage.”

A participant doesn’t must be convicted and even charged with against the law to be disciplined below 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 school 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 hassle over the subsequent few months.

In a letter to Roethlisberger saying the punishment, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said partially that: “The Private Conduct Coverage makes clear that I could 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.’”

DO OTHER TEAMS HAVE INTEREST IN TRADING FOR HIM?

The Texans tried to commerce Watson earlier than the deadline final November and had been stated to have been near sending him to Miami. However they had been unable to finish a cope with the prison fees nonetheless pending. With that now not a difficulty, Houston is predicted to have many suitors beginning Wednesday, which is the primary day he will be traded.

Regardless of his authorized troubles, Watson, who was a first-round choose in 2017, remains to be enticing to many groups after proving to be one of many prime younger quarterbacks within the league in 2020. That season Watson, who received a nationwide championship at Clemson, led the NFL with a career-high 4,823 yards passing and had 33 landing passes. The 26-year-old is a three-time Professional Bowler, who has amassed greater than 14,000 yards passing in his four-year NFL profession regardless of taking part in simply seven video games as a rookie due to an harm.

The Dolphins had been occupied with buying and selling for him earlier than the November deadline, however it’s unclear in the event that they’re nonetheless . Different groups which have a necessity at QB and might be within the combine are Carolina, Cleveland, New Orleans and Seattle, amongst different groups.

Watson has a no-trade clause, so he must waive that earlier than any deal might be accomplished.

Houston will anticipate a giant haul in return for him since he’s nonetheless below contract for 4 extra seasons after signing a $156 million extension earlier than the 2020 season. The Texans will seemingly be seeking to get a number of excessive draft picks in any deal for Watson, very like the deal that Denver made not too long ago for quarterback Russell Wilson that included two first-round and two second-round draft picks.