The mounting lawsuits Deshaun Watson is facing apparently have changed the game for NFL teams, including the New England Patriots.
Since last week, 16 women (and counting, according to lawyer Tony Buzbee) have accused the Houston Texans quarterback of various crimes, including sexual misconduct and abuse. The NFL recently opened an investigation into Watson, who has denied all allegations.
Understandably, Watson's developing legal situation has led some teams to hold off in their potential pursuit of a trade for the star quarterback. The Patriots are one of those teams, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe.
"The entire situation with Deshaun Watson has changed with the civil suits," Howe tweeted Monday. "If there are teams that are still actively pursuing him, as has been reported, I can confidently say the Patriots were not one of them as of late last week. We'll see if that changes, pending civil cases."
It's important to note that Howe did not say whether the Patriots actively pursued a Watson trade before allegations were brought against the 25-year-old. Regardless, New England apparently has no interest in trading for him at this time.
Watson reportedly requested a trade earlier this offseason and is committed to leaving the Texans. However, all reports thus far indicate Houston has dug in and refused to part with its franchise quarterback.
Many NFL insiders anticipated the Texans eventually would acquiesce to Watson's demands. Now, it's impossible to predict how this story will end.
