Can New Houston GM Work It Out With Deshaun Watson?

With rumors swirling, and reports today that former NFL QB Josh McCown is a potential suitor for the Texans HC vacancy, what must GM Nick Caserio do to keep Deshaun Watson in Houston?

The Deshaun Watson trade saga is only beginning to heat up, and it seems the Houston Texans have more options than they know what to do with.

While Watson himself has not made a trade demand public, all signs point to his exit with an almost irreparable relationship with ownership and the front office. Nick Caserio, the new Texans GM who was hired without the player input that Cal McNair reportedly promised Watson, has a lot to do if he wants to turn around the mess former head coach/GM Bill O'Brien caused for the team.

An important part of this whole saga will be who becomes the next head coach in Houston. New reports today from NFL Network's Mike Garafolo adds an interesting name into the Houston Head Coaching mix, reporting that the Texans interviewed long time NFL QB Josh McCown, and would only be interested in McCown if they could surround him with a veteran staff.

The #Texans are exploring the idea of Josh McCown as head coach but would surround him with at least one former head coach on the staff. Again, not as crazy as it might seem to go from player to head coach. And if anybody can do it, McCown can.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 22, 2021

Is Deshaun Watson really interested in playing for a ripe new head coach, or is he already past the breaking point with the Texans?

While new trade suitors such as the Carolina Panthers have arisen in recent days, no team remains more poised to make a move for Watson than the Miami Dolphins. The reported package offered by the Dolphins was Tua Tagovailoa, and the No. 3 and No. 18 picks in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. While this is likely one of the best offers the Texans could receive, Tagovailoa might not be good enough to replace Watson in Houston, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

“Miami has a quarterback with upside in Tua Tagovailoa, but that could be a deal-breaker for the Texans. Tagovailoa isn’t regarded as a quarterback the Texans will view as an adequate replacement for Watson, according to multiple league sources.” - Aaron Wilson https://t.co/26KRNqEyt2

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 21, 2021

While rumors are continuously circulating, until Watson demands a trade officially, a deal likely won't happen soon. Watson just recently signed a mega-contract extension in Houston, and with a no-trade clause lingering, he holds virtually all of the power in regards to his trade destination. Caserio has a lot of work ahead of him if he wants to keep the franchise QB a Texan.