(SportsRadio 610) - It's been nearly a year since Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was accused of sexual assault, and now, a grand jury will hear the evidence against him for the first time in a Houston courtroom on Friday.
According to Jenny Vrentas and Juliet Macur of the New York Times, several of the women who have filed criminal complaints against Watson during massage therapy sessions have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury, their attorney Tony Buzbee says.
In a statement to the Times, Watson's lawyer Rusty Hardin said that he is “delighted” that the grand jury will convene to determine if Watson will be indicted on any of the charges he faces, and he hopes a decision will be made then.
“The free agency time is around the corner and we’ve wanted this decision to be made by then and it looks like they’re going to and I’m welcoming it,” Hardin told the Times. “There’s never been any crime here, no matter if you call it indecent assault or anything else. These are civil matters that belong in the civil courts.”
But there is no guarantee the grand jury makes a decision Friday. The group could vote to indict Watson, clear him of charges, or take more days to mull over the case.
Last month, a Harris County judge ruled in favor of women accusing Watson of sexual misconduct, requiring him to testify in depositions for civil cases that don't involve criminal investigations despite Hardin arguing that it would be unfair to his client to be deposed in civil court, while there are open criminal investigations.
Watson was scheduled to testify Friday in those civil cases but Hardin says he has instructed his client to plead the Fifth Amendment until the grand jury completes its investigation.
So, how does all of this affect the Texans, who would like to trade Watson as soon as possible?
The further dates are pushed back into the NFL's calendar year, the more likely a trade market for Watson remains stagnant. He already sat out a full season while taking a spot on the active roster, without a suspension, and has asked to be traded by the Texans.
Watson signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Texans in the summer of 2020. His $35 million salary for 2022 is already guaranteed; the salary and roster bonus worth $37 million for 2023 is guaranteed by March 20.
The NFL Draft begins April 28.
A reunion between Watson and the Texans is unlikely, but can't be outright ruled out until he's no longer on the team. It's an awkward mess for them to navigate, given both sides have clearly moved on.
But they remain at the mercy of the painfully slow-moving legal systems. Trade talks with the Miami Dolphins broke down last year after owner Stephen Ross said Watson's cases needed to be resolved. New York Giants CEO John Mara recently said he would not consider trading for Watson with the allegations out there.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio and head coach Lovie Smith have indicated the legal process playing itself out dictates the decisions made in a Watson trade.