Caserio Reveals How Watson Trade Affects Texans Draft
HOUSTON -- Houston Texans' general manager Nick Caserio said it best: "there is never a dull moment in Houston sports."
Friday afternoon, the Texans traded quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns. Watson demanded a trade from the organization in January of 2021. And after 14 months of negotiations, Caserio said it was time to find a solution.
In exchange for the three-time Pro-Bowl player, the Texans received three first-round picks, which includes the No. 13 overall selection for the 2022 NFL Draft, a 2023 third-round pick and 2024 fourth-round selection.
Houston obtained a massive haul of draft capital for their former franchise quarterback. And the result of each selection will be crucial in determining whether or not the Texans received fair value for Watson.
"It's about bringing good players into your program," Caserio said at NRG Stadium on Saturday. "Regardless of how good the player is in college, they are all starting from scratch once they reach the NFL.
"It's about how quickly they can get up to speed with what you are going to ask for them to do on the football field and how well they play."
The Texans did not receive a player in exchange for Watson. According to Caserio, other than getting three first-round picks, everything else was speculations in terms of acquiring a player in a deal.
By sending Watson to the Browns, the Texans became the third team in the common draft era to trade a player for three first-round picks. In 1989, the Dallas Cowboys became the last team to accomplish the feat.
The Cowboys sent All-Pro running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for eight draft picks and five players. But it was the three first-rounders the Cowboys received from the Vikings that led to Dallas building a dynasty during the 1990s.
One of the Cowboys' first-round selections resulted in Hall-of-Fame running back Emmitt Smith. As a league MVP in 1993, Smith played arguably the most vital role in helping the Cowboys win three Super Bowl titles during the decade.
"Our job is to know as many players as possible from the top to the bottom," Caserio said. "As we go to set the board in each draft, we will try to pick good players that we think are going to fit the program. Good players that will give us the best opportunity moving forward."
Caserio understands that building through the draft will take time, and success for the franchise following Watson's departure will not come imminently.
Houston's scouting department has worked extremely hard in the weeks leading up to this year's draft. And Caserio is confident that the Texans' scouting department will maximize each pick to its full potential.
