‘People in NFL circles’ believe Deshaun Watson won’t play in 2021?

While there has been a lot of discussion about Deshaun Watson as a trade candidate, it sounds entirely possible that he might not even play in the NFL this season.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that there are “people in NFL circles” who believe Watson has not only played his last game for the Houston Texans, but that the QB might not even play in 2021. Schefter adds that this thinking informed Houston’s decision to use its third-round pick, the earliest pick the Texans held, on quarterback Davis Mills.

While Watson’s trade demand has unsettled the Texans, the major point of uncertainty stems from the 22 civil lawsuits Watson is facing alleging sexual assault. A league investigation is ongoing, as are the legal proceedings. It is unknown when any of those investigations might be resolved, throwing Watson’s season into uncertainty.

The Texans are keeping things close to the vest, so much so that the quarterback they drafted didn’t see it coming. At this rate, Mills might be in for a bigger role than anticipated very quickly.