(SportsRadio 610) - Now that Deshaun Watson has been traded to the Cleveland Browns, Texans general manager Nick Caserio has to build a team with the resources he has left.
The Watson deal brought the Texans back three first-round picks, a third and a fifth. Watson, who asked to be traded more than a year ago, was also awarded a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed extension.
In a statement released Friday evening, Caserio said he felt the trade was "the right move" for the organization.
"Earlier today, we agreed to trade Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns," Caserio's statement says. "I felt it was the right move for our organization as we head into the new league year focused on building our roster for the 2022 season. Our priority right now is adding talented players to the foundation we have already put in place over the last 15 months and this trade supports that plan. As we navigate through the rest of the offseason, we remain open-minded to all avenues that allow us to improve our roster and add to our program."
Texans CEO Cal McNair praised Caserio for navigating a challenging situation.
"I’m extremely proud of the way Nick Caserio navigated us through this challenging situation," McNair said in a statement. "He remained patient before ultimately making the decision that is best for us in both the short and long term. We’re confident in our plan to build a championship program that can sustain success and our entire organization is excited to move forward together."
While there are some complexities surrounding Watson's situation - two dozen women accusing him of sexual abuse, a no-trade clause effectively allowing him to pick his destination, and the NFL Draft a little more than a month away - the return for Houston in this trade is open to criticism.
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It had been reported the Texans were seeking multiple second-round picks and/or a mix of players in a Watson trade. They received neither.
The reality is his no-trade clause, plus the understanding that he would never play for the Texans again, handcuffed what Caserio could get back.
Watson could only be sent somewhere in which he would waive the no-trade clause, and the Texans were not in much of a position to push back unless they were willing to carry him on the roster again without playing, like last year.
It's clear Caserio saw the writing on the wall - that his options would always be limited in trading Watson due to the quarterback's power in the situation - and he was ready to move on with what is still a historically high draft return.
Only Herschel Walker in 1990 has ever been traded for three firsts.
But even with that in mind, this deal leaves a lot to be desired.
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Perhaps what's most interesting is that despite Watson forcing his way out of Houston, and the troubling allegations tied to the delay in him being traded, he was ultimately rewarded for all of this behavior by weaponizing the no-trade clause.
Watson leveraged it to pick his spot, and get a hefty raise in guaranteed money.
If nothing else, one has to respect the enormous flex by Watson and his agent David Mulugheta, who negotiated the deal.
All Texans fans can do now is look forward to what Caserio does with these draft picks - there are six first-rounders over the next three years.
The future is what Caserio makes of it.
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Brandon Scott is the senior digital content coordinator for SportsRadio610.com. Follow him on Twitter @brandonkscott .