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A grand jury decided not to indict Watson on Friday. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Grand jury decides not to indict Texans QB Deshaun Watson

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 3/11/22

As of Friday morning, would-be buyers understandably weren't rushing to make a trade for Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson as he continued to face 22 lawsuits alleging acts of sexual assault and misconduct and 10 criminal complaints.

That could change now that the 26-year-old who didn't play a snap during the 2021 campaign following his offseason trade request has won a significant legal victory.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and others have confirmed a grand jury decided not to indict Watson after hearing evidence on Friday.

This is why Deshaun Watson, from the beginning, welcomed a police investigation: He felt he knew that the truth would come out. And today, a grand jury did not charge him on any of the criminal complaints.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2022

Trade market for Deshaun Watson now is expected to ramp up, quickly. Houston will be opening to moving him and multiple teams are expected to be interested, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2022

The statement from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office on a grand jury’s determination that Deshaun Watson should not be charged with a crime. pic.twitter.com/i2cYdqh3Q8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2022

Earlier this week, the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers were linked with Watson. Seattle needs a new QB1 after agreeing to trade one-time Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, while the Panthers are looking for a significant upgrade at the sport's most important position. Watson has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would need to sign off on any deal.

Deshaun Watson’s contract would be as such for a team acquiring him in a trade:

2022: $35M salary, $35M cap hit
2023: $20M salary, $17M roster bonus, $37M cap hit
2024: $32M salary, $32M cap hit
2025: $32M salary, $32M cap hit
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 11, 2022

The Texans reportedly want a package that includes three first-round draft picks and up to seven total assets for Watson.

As Michael David Smith noted for Pro Football Talk, Watson could still lose civil lawsuits brought against him and ultimately face an NFL suspension for an unknown portion of the 2022 season.

NFL spokesman: "We have been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy." https://t.co/TKLsDXMdBM
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2022

So the criminal case against Deshaun Watson is now closed, with no charges. Civil lawsuits against Watson – who has always denied wrongdoing – remain unresolved and he still could face NFL discipline. But today's developments are a big step towards Watson returning to the field.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2022

It's unclear if Friday's developments will cause any teams allegedly out of the Watson sweepstakes earlier in the day to reconsider their stances ahead of the weekend. The new league year opens this coming Wednesday.

Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, reacted to the news via a released statement:

A statement from Deshaun Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, who says: “It is time to let Deshaun move on.” pic.twitter.com/jPpVVsC5Y6
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2022

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