Houston Texans’ general manager Nick Caserio said Friday’s third-round pick of Stanford quarterback Davis Mills has nothing to do with Deshaun Watson and it is nothing more than creating competition.
Due to trades from previous drafts, Mills was the Texans’ first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, as they took him with the 67th overall pick. Immediately following the pick, speculation on what it meant for Watson’s future in Houston started to grow.
But Caserio insisted it means nothing more than creating competition within his quarterback room.
“It is about trying to create competition across the football team, across all positions,” he said to reporters. “We talked about this on the pre-draft call a couple of weeks ago. That is our philosophy and that is our mindset, and we are going to continue to do that, so that was the rational and the impetus for the pick.”
But do not think trading Watson is not in the cards for Houston. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport says teams are still interested in the former Clemson quarterback services, despite the legal issues he is tied up in.
Watson officially requested a trade back in February, but the Texans refused to speak with any NFL teams about a trade at the time. Then, last month, Watson was accused of sexual misconduct by 22 women who are seeking justice through a civil lawsuit.
“Teams are still interested in potentially trading for Deshaun Watson, or at least they were prior to the draft and I don’t expect the draft to change any of that. I also know the Texans have not yet engaged,” Rapaport said Saturday on the NFL Network prior to the final day of the 2021 NFL Draft. “This is insurance because we do not know what is going to happen to Deshaun Watson.
“Is he going to face discipline from the league? There are so many questions. (Mills) is answering some of those questions and making sure they have a little bit more of a backup plan.”
Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.
Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks
