The former quarterback of the Houston Texans missed last season as he faced a criminal investigation and lawsuits involving sexual misconduct. A grand jury last week declined to charge him.
A week after a Harris County, Texas, grand jury rejected nine criminal cases against him, Deshaun Watson agreed to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade to the Cleveland Browns, a person with direct knowledge of the move confirmed on Friday. That person requested anonymity because the team has not yet announced the trade. To acquire the 26-year-old Watson, the Browns will give up three first-round draft picks and two additional picks, the significant return the Houston Texans were seeking for one of the N.F.L.’s most talented young quarterbacks. Watson had not played since completing the 2020 season with the Texans, when he requested a trade from the team. Weeks after that demand,22 women accused Watson of sexual misconduct during massage appointments in civil lawsuits which remain unresolved. Watson has denied any wrongdoing and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, has said any sexual acts that happened during massage appointments were consensual. There has been no indication when the N.F.L. will complete its investigation of Watson for potential violations of its personal conduct policy. League investigators have already spoken to several of the women who filed complaints against Watson but were waiting for a resolution in the criminal cases to interview him.
