The Watson-Dolphins Story ... From the Houston Side

Texans Daily Publisher Mike Fisher outlines the latest regarding the Deshaun Watson situation from the Houston standpoint

The weekend report suggesting the Miami Dolphins are the "front-runners" to trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has become a hot topic of conversation among Dolphins fans.

We earlier dissected Dolphins head coach Brian Flores' comments on the report and his refusal to declare that the organization has no interest in making a deal for the three-time Pro Bowl selection now the subject of 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct.

But what's the deal from the Houston standpoint? What is their stance on the idea of trading Watson, and when? And where do the Dolphins fit into that picture?

Longtime NFL writer Mike Fisher tackled those issues in a recent story on SI Fan Nation sister site Texans Daily, and here's what he wrote.

Despite the sound and the fury, there is as we write this no imminent trade about to happen regarding quarterback Deshaun Watson.

At the same time, there is some level of accuracy in reporting, as many outlets have, that the Miami Dolphins are the "front-runners'' for the services of the embattled Houston Texans QB. And there are two reasons that the reports are sort of accurate.

One, NFL sources tell us that the Dolphins and Texans have in the last week at least "touched base'' on the concept of a trade.

And, two, no other team has entered the pursuit.

And therefore, almost by default, the Dolphins are "front-runners.''

As is often the case when such reports emerge, semantics matter. ProFootballTalk.com called it "chatter.'' Our friend Charles Robinson at Yahoo made a more concrete connection between the two teams.

But the Texans haven't agreed to trade Watson to the Dolphins, and no deal is regarded as imminent despite a lot of conversations and speculation surrounding the three-time Pro Bowl selection.

We're told the Dolphins have not issued to the Texans an offer Houston finds suitable. As we've long reported, the Texans want at least three first-round draft picks, two second-round draft picks and players. The Dolphins likely want to offer "conditional'' picks contingent on Watson being able to fight through his legal entanglements to actually get on the field.

The Texans, contrary to some reports, are in no hurry here. They can simply plunk Watson on their 53-man roster while making him inactive on game day while paying him his $10.54 million salary ... and waiting until an offer comes.

The downside to this concept: The dark cloud that could hover over the franchise.

The upside: The picks that Houston will gain, obviously, will be for 2022 and beyond. They don't help now. They can't be used now. So they don't need to be acquired now.

The Texans aren't interested in the "conditional pick'' concept, and are for now willing to bet that Watson — who is still facing 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct — will at some point regain some level of value, meaning the "conditional'' idea won't be necessary in order to trade him.

We have reported that Watson would waive his no-trade clause for the Dolphins, according to multiple sources, just as he would have for the Carolina Panthers. But the Panthers are not involved in talks. Nor are the Denver Broncos. And while the Philadelphia Eagles have had interest, TexansDaily.com was first to report that Watson would enact his no-trade clause and block a trade to Philly.

With time, a Texans-Dolphins trade that nets Houston the bundle of picks plus second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has made strides during the preseason, can happen. With the Dolphins not inclined to bid against themselves, any trade discussion has reached an impasse. But the Dolphins have no reason to bid against themselves. And the Texans are in no hurry to "lose'' a trade.

So, is there a "front-runner''? Sure. but nobody is running all that fast.