Deshaun Watson talks contract, expects to have a big year in 2020
By: will-vandervort July 26, 2020

Deshaun Watson is about to start training camp in Houston without a new deal. But he said recently his agent is working to resolve that issue.

The former Clemson quarterback still has two years remaining on his rookie deal, which expires after the 2021 season.

Reports surfaced back in June Watson and the Texans were negotiating a new deal, but Patrick Mahomes’ record-breaking $503 million deal for 10 years with Kansas City, including a $63 million guarantee at the point of signing and $141 million guaranteed in the event of an injury, perhaps slowed the conversations down somewhat.

All indications point to Watson still wanting a three-year deal to stay in Houston. The Texans seem to be on board with getting Watson signed early, too.

“My situation, and I don’t want to say anything too crazy, is different than his,” Watson said while speaking to Michael Vick in an interview. “Signing a deal for ten years, you know, I have to speak with my agent on that. Sit down and think, what do I want in my career? Where I want to be for a long period of time. I love Houston, I love the organization, I love the teammates and all the players, but all that stuff is always changing.

“Yeah, I’m excited about it and have been talking to my agent about it each day, trying to get exactly what we want and make sure it’s the best deal because things change so much, so you’ve got to get everything you can out of that first one.”

A new three-year deal would put the former Clemson All-American under contract with the Texans for five more years, getting him in position for a third contract by the end of the 2024 season, with the possibility of the franchise tag for 2025 and, in theory, 2026.

The Texans have made moves in the off-season to show they want to sign Watson. They traded former Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona to sure up some salary cap space, giving them the ability to build the team around Watson. They also signed left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a new three-year deal, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL.

This coming season will be a big year for Watson to prove how he has evolved as an NFL quarterback and that he is an elite decision maker. With Hopkins now in Arizona, it will force Watson to throw the football to other receivers, creating more balance in the passing game. It will also show his ability to find other receivers.

Hopkins, one of the best wide receivers in the league, unintentionally caused Watson to look his way in most occasions because he is too good not to have the football in his hands.

At Clemson, Watson was known for throwing the football, at times, to 10 different receivers in a game. Since NFL teams have not been able to have in-person OTA’s this spring and summer, Watson has used the last few weeks to visit his new targets – Brandin Cooks, David Johnson and Kenny Stills. He has also reportedly thrown the football with Will Fuller as well.

The Texans are expected to be much faster at wide receiver this season, so Watson was attempting to build a rapport with his new receivers and work on their timing before he got to camp.

Reportedly, Watson’s goal this year is to complete 70 percent of his passes, which he was not too far off from accomplishing in his two full seasons as a starter. He completed 68.3 percent of his passes in 2018 and 67.3 last year.

In his first three seasons in the NFL – he started just six games as a rookie before tearing his ACL in Week 7 – Watson has thrown for 9,716 yards and 71 touchdowns with just 29 interceptions. He has completed 66.8 percent of his passes.

Watson has led the Texans to AFC South Division Championships in each of the last two years and two trips to the playoffs. Last year, he led Houston to a 10-6 regular season record and to a 22-19 win over Buffalo in the NFL Playoffs.

Houston is scheduled to open the season at Kansas City on Thursday, Sept. 10.

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