There's just more of it these days and it grants the players a tremendous amount of leverage. The Texans *probably* won't trade Watson - but if they do, it'll likely be because they're staring down the viability of him potentially being a free agent in two years and they don't want to dump any more money into a dead-end problem.
I didn't think he was, either. Zierlein tweeted something about it (ie gone in two years) and someone in here - don't remember who: sorry - clarified that he can opt out in two years? ETA: Or maybe it was his extension is up in two years but there's some built-in clause he can't be franchised? I don't know. This was long before all this nonsense - but I refuted any idea he could be gone soon, that he had two years + at least two years of tags and was told I was wrong.
Ya don’t think that is correct. He is under contract until 2026 and Texans will then have ability to franchise him for two years if it came to that. Haven’t heard anything about a no-franchise clause and would be surprised if the NFL would allow that. Maybe they’re talking about the Texans having an “out” in 2 years where any dead money owed to him drops significantly if they were to release or trade him.
https://overthecap.com/player/deshaun-watson/5596/ https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/houston-texans/deshaun-watson-21753/ $73.7M guaranteed at signing (signing bonus + 2020 salary + 2021 salary + 2022 salary) 2023 salary & roster bonus fully guarantee in March 2022 2023 Roster Bonus: $17M Annual $500,000 de-escalator for not attending 85% of workouts 2022-2025 Incentives $1M for a super bowl win with 50% of SB snaps No trade clause https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/05/inside-the-deshaun-watson-contract/ 1. Signing bonus: $27 million, with half payable in the next 15 days (subject to Watson passing a physical), another $6.75 million paid by October 20 and the remaining $6.75 million paid by December 20. 2. 2020 salary: $1.177 million, guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap. 3. 2021 salary: $10.54 million, guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap. 4. 2022 salary: $35 million, guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap. 5. 2023 roster bonus, due fifth day of the 2023 league year: $17 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap on the fifth day of the 2022 league year. 6. 2023 salary: $20 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap on the fifth day of the 2022 league year. 7. 2024 salary: $32 million. 8. 2025 salary: $32 million. The deal also includes an annual $500,000 de-escalator, if Watson fails to participate in at least 84.375 percent of the offseason program. The new years of the deal — 2022 through 2025 — include $1 million in annual escalators payable if the team wins the Super Bowl and if Watson participates in at least half the offensive plays in the Super Bowl. Here’s some analysis of the deal, which pays out $156 million in new money ($39 million per year), and has a total value at signing of $174.17 million ($29.11 million per year). First, it has three years fully-guaranteed for skill, injury, and cap. With the signing bonus, that’s $73 million in full guarantees at signing. Second, the $37 million payable in 2023 fully vests in 2022. Which means that, in order to avoid owing Watson $110 million over four years, they’ll have to cut him after two years — and owe him $73 million. Third, Watson beats Mahomes in the primary metrics for assessing long-team deals. Watson gets $17 million more to sign, more than $17 more in first-year cash, more than $5 million more through two years, $10 million more through three years, and $7 million more through four years. At that point, Watson will be under contract for two more years — and Mahomes will be under contract for eight more years.
Here it is.. If you scroll back up through the thread, I question Lance's report - in fact, you and I kick around whether he has 4 or 5, pre tags. I took at face value but happy to be wrong. And if it is wrong, the idea of trading Deshaun Watson is patently absurd. Here, btw, is the original comment from Lance:
So Watson waited to finish cashing his $27 million signing bonus check, then days later starts smoke on social media? And won't return ownership's phone calls, thereby preventing any type of mending of fences? What a bish. Watson needs to step up and end all this drama instead of letting it fester. His silence is creating a massive problem for the team and the fans now suffer.
Lance would know his stuff but I’m not sure he is correct with this. There are a lot of detailed breakdowns on his deal, none of which mention an opt-out provision.
Can you name a player that demanded a trade, stayed with his team, and it worked out? There are literally dozens of top players across a variety of sports, each in different situations and with different leverage. The end result is *always* the same. If Watson demands a trade, he'll get traded - it's just how pro sports work in the modern era.
Sorry - I meant in the modern area (think last 5-10 years). Hakeem was 30+ years ago in a different era of player empowerment.
Who in the hell would demand a trade to the jets? That’s like demanding a trade to the Pistons. Very nice click bait
Can't wait for this trash to leave so we can really how crap he really is. I hate when player think they are they best.
What was different back then? If anything the team (Rockets) was actively looking to trade Hakeem more-so. It was a bad situation with dis-trust on both sides and they worked it out. Yes, if a player actually demands to be traded... it usually will happen. It’s also unprecedented that an NFL team trades a franchise QB, let alone one year after signing an extension, so there’s really no precedence for this situation either way. And, in the end, I’ve yet to see a single actual quote from Deshaun or anybody directly associated with Deshaun (his agent, his mom, his girlfriend) saying he’s done with this team. No doubt he’s not happy... but the sensationalism of the media has certainly tried to make it a fore-gone conclusion that this situation is not at all salvageable, when in reality we’d be hearing daily leaks of trade discussions or ultimatums if one side had truly made up their mind.