Deshaun Watson's legal case has quietened down: What does that mean for all involved parties?
Deshaun Watson.
We have not heard anything about Deshaun Watson's legal battles over the last two weeks. The Houston Texans quarterback is currently being accused by twenty-two women, mostly massage therapists, of inappropriate behavior. His case has been making headlines this entire offseason, shortly after he expressed his interest in being traded.
Outlook on Deshaun Watson's Legal Battles
Since the accusations were made public, Watson and his attorney Rusty Hardin have dealt with public scrutiny initiated by opposing attorney Tony Buzbee. Both sides were constant with their disapproval of the other side using social media and Zoom court hearings as their platform.
On Thursday, April 22, 2021, there was an in-person hearing about the case and it was the first time both sides were in the same location. Since that court hearing neither side has said anything about the case.
Texans team owner Cal McNair was even recently asked about the accusations and about trading Watson, and his response was simple: "I really don't have anything new," adding, "There's ongoing investigations, and we really can't comment until they run their course."
With this vague response from the owner of the franchise and the deafening silence, it leaves fans wondering if a resolution is near. Since the silence began after both sides met in court, perhaps there are settlements happening behind the scenes. This is just an assumption, but is the typical outcome when new information is no longer coming out in an active case.
Another possibility is that the number of defendants may be changing. The judge declared weeks ago that the identities of the accusers could be made public. At the time one accuser did drop her claim but, with this much silence, one could believe that perhaps more accusers are thinking about dropping their claims as well.
While everyone waits to see exactly what comes of Deshaun Watson's legal troubles, his NFL future also seems unclear. Watson is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in the league and when he originally asked for a trade, teams were interested. But due to the legal issues, many were hesitant to make a move toward a trade, afraid that an inevitable suspension would happen.
If Deshaun Watson is cleared and there isn't a suspension, it seems that a trade is possible. But the Texans will have to be willing to trade Watson, which they didn't seem willing to do before this. The outcome of his legal issues will have to be announced first before anything else.