Houston Texans

Houston Texans head coach David Culley announced Davis Mills will start at quarterback in Sunday's Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Texans designated Week 1 starter Tyrod Taylor to return from injured reserve as he gets closer to playing again after a hamstring injury, but the team didn't think he's quite ready to retake the offensive reins.

"We just don't feel Tyrod is ready right now," Culley told reporters Friday.

Taylor started each of the team's first two games before hurting his hamstring in a road loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 19.

Mills, a 2021 third-round pick, has led the Texans' offense for each of the past five games. Counting his relief appearance in Week 2, he's completed 64.9 percent of his throws for 1,047 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions in six contests.

Houston, which was widely expected to endure a rebuilding year, has quickly slid down the standings with six consecutive losses.

Before Week 6, Mills said he'd continue to prepare like the starter even once Taylor was cleared to return.

"The biggest thing is coming in, putting your best foot forward every day, continuing to become a better player," he told reporters. "I'm preparing like I'm the starter even if not, but the biggest thing is just putting the team in a situation to win games."

The Texans have one additional game, a road clash with the Miami Dolphins, before their Week 10 bye. Depending on Taylor's recovery, it's possible the team opts to give the 32-year-old veteran a little more time and starts the rookie once again when it takes on the Phins.

Houston has made no mention of a potential return for Deshaun Watson, who's been inactive throughout the campaign as the team awaits more information about the 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints filed against him by women alleging sexual assault and misconduct.

Watson, the Texans' starting quarterback for the previous four years, has also been the focus of trade rumors ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league hasn't received enough information about the pending cases to either suspend Watson or place him on the commissioner's exempt list, meaning he's eligible to play if a team makes that decision.

"Obviously, the police have been investigating, and we don't have access to all of that information at this point in time," Goodell said. "We pride ourselves on not interfering in that and in being as cooperative as we can in order to get all the facts. I think that process is still ongoing."

For now, it appears the Texans plan to move forward with either Mills or Taylor, who previously started for the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers, for the remainder of the campaign.

Mills faces another tough test Sunday against the 6-1 Rams and their seventh-ranked scoring defense.

Brandin Cooks has been traded three times in his NFL career and handled it well on each occasion.

Having a trusted teammate traded is apparently another story.

The Houston Texans wide receiver took to Twitter and seemingly blasted the team's reported trade of running back Mark Ingram II to the New Orleans Saints.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the deal will involve undisclosed late-round future draft picks. Ingram started the Texans' first seven games of the 2021 season, rushing for 294 yards and a touchdown. He'll return to a Saints franchise where he spent his first eight years, earning two Pro Bowl berths.

The Texans are clearly in the midst of a rebuild but are also playing an awkward in-between game with a group of veterans motivated to prove they have something left in the tank. Guys like Cooks, Ingram and Tyrod Taylor are steady veterans who aren't particularly willing to sit idly by and hand over L's so the team can draft their future replacements. 

Trading Ingram is merely evidence of where these veterans stand in the bigger picture. It's unsurprising that Cook seemingly isn't happy about it. 

If Deshaun Watson gets moved before the Nov. 2 trade deadline, it reportedly won't be to the Carolina Panthers. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Panthers aren't expected to pursue Watson "at this time."

Speculation about Watson has picked up in recent weeks as the NFL trade deadline approaches. 

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins have agreed to the compensation in a potential trade and that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has signed off on the deal. 

However, McClain noted Ross wants Watson's legal issues resolved before the deal is executed. 

A total of 22 women have filed civil lawsuits against Watson over allegations of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. He has also been named in 10 criminal complaints, including two from women who haven't filed lawsuits. 

Per Fox 26 in Houston, the Harris County District Attorney's office opened a grand jury investigation into Watson in August. 

Rusty Hardin, Watson's lawyer, told reporters in August that the FBI has also opened an investigation into the allegations. 

"I don't think they're investigating Deshaun," Hardin said. "What they're investigating is the allegations Buzbee has made in his lawsuits. I didn't know about that until yesterday, and then I checked it out and it's true. They are."

Watson has denied the allegations.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Tuesday that the league is still investigating the allegations before determining whether to place Watson on the commissioner's exempt list.

Watson remains on the Texans' 53-man roster, but he has been inactive for their seven games this season.

The Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans have reached a tentative agreement on the structure of a Deshaun Watson trade, according to the Houston Chronicle's John McClain.

However, lingering questions remain before the trade becomes a reality before the Nov. 2 deadline.

McClain reported Dolphins owner Stephen Ross "has approved a Watson trade, but he wants his legal issues resolved." Ross would also reportedly like to know whether Watson will be suspended under the NFL's personal conduct policy and how long the punishment would last.

Twenty-two women have filed civil lawsuits against the three-time Pro Bowler regarding allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

If the Dolphins remain firm in their stance, it's difficult to see how Watson arrives in South Beach prior to the deadline.

According to McClain, the 26-year-old isn't prepared to settle the ongoing suits, thus keeping his legal situation in flux.

In terms of any NFL-issued discipline, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported in September that the league didn't feel any impetus to suspend him or place him on the commissioner's exempt list because the Texans have been benching him anyway.

Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed Watson's status Tuesday:

Per McClain, the Dolphins are willing to send at least three first-round picks to the Texans in return for Watson. That would be a lot to give up for a player who may or may not contribute this season and could also miss a part of the 2022 campaign.

As the deadline draws closer, perhaps Miami or another team takes that chance. The Athletic's Joseph Person reported the Carolina Panthers are believed to have interest.

Based on McClain's report, though, it looks far more likely that Watson won't be leaving Houston within the next week, which means he might not see a single snap in 2021.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league won't yet make a decision on Deshaun Watson because of the lack of information regarding allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against him.

"We don't have all the access to that information, and pride ourselves on not interfering with that," Goodell told reporters Tuesday. "That process is ongoing, and we don't feel we have that necessary information to place him on the exempt list."

Ten women have made criminal complaints to the Houston police as of July. Eight of these women are among the 22 who have filed civil lawsuits against the Houston Texans quarterback.

The NFL announced in August there was an "ongoing and active" investigation into Watson, but he has not been placed on the commissioner's exempt list and is eligible to play.

Watson is currently on the Texans' 53-man roster but has been inactive in each game this season as he seeks a trade.

The player's status is significant with teams interested in a trade ahead of the Nov. 2 deadline.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported last week that the Texans could complete a trade with the Miami Dolphins after talks had "intensified." Joe Person of The Athletic added the Carolina Panthers were expected to be involved in trade talks as well.

Eligibility concerns could still prevent a team from making a move, even for a three-time Pro Bowler who is still only 26 years old.

McClain reported Tuesday that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has approved a trade for Watson, "but he wants his legal issues resolved."

Houston Texans owner Cal McNair referred to COVID-19 as the "China Virus" at an event for the organization's charitable foundation in May, according to Bally Sports' Michael Silver.

Silver spoke to a source who said the attendees "gasped" after McNair made the remark.

McNair provided a statement through a Texans spokesperson to Silver apologizing for the comment:

My comments at the event last May included an inappropriate choice of words. I immediately apologized to people who approached me then and I apologize again now. I know how important it is to choose my words carefully. I would never want to offend anyone.

In March 2020, the FBI warned the number of hate crimes against Asian Americans could potentially climb due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

One year later, UC San Francisco released the results of a study that found "the number of coronavirus-related tweets with anti-Asian hashtags rose precipitously" in the week after former President Donald Trump called COVID-19 the "Chinese virus" on Twitter.

The FBI recorded 279 incidents of anti-Asian hate crime in 2020, a rise from the 161 instances reported in 2019.

Silver's report comes after Jon Gruden resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after he was found to have made racist, anti-gay and misogynistic comments in a number of emails.

The emails were uncovered as part of the NFL's investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace inside the Washington Football Team organization. Former WFT President Bruce Allen was among the recipients of Gruden's correspondence.

That has led many to call for the league to release the full findings from its investigation.

The Associated Press' Barry Wilner reported in October the NFL didn't find any other examples of league or team personnel sending emails of a similar manner to Gruden.

McNair's father, Bob, helped bring the Texans into the NFL in 2002. Cal became the franchise's chief executive officer in January 2019, shortly after Bob's death in November 2018.

Bob received criticism in 2017 when in response to the wave of player protests across the NFL, he said the league "can't have the inmates running the prison," per Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause for interested teams other than the Miami Dolphins.

ESPN's Josina Anderson reported Tuesday that Watson, who's been accused of sexual assault and misconduct in 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints, is for the "most part" willing to accept any deal ahead of the Nov. 2 NFL trade deadline.

Anderson noted there's still no timetable to resolve the cases against the Texans signal-caller, however, because he's been resistant to suggested settlement terms:

Although Watson remains available to play—he isn't on the commissioner's exempt list—he hasn't made any appearances for Houston this season. The team opted to start rookie Davis Mills after starter Tyrod Taylor suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2.

Head coach David Culley previously stated Taylor will return to the starting role once healthy, while making no mention of Watson.

"Tyrod comes back and he's healthy, he's our starting quarterback," Culley told reporters Oct. 13. "As far as the quarterback situation, he gives us our best chance to win. He's our starting quarterback. He was our starting quarterback when he went down. He was doing an excellent job."

Aaron Wilson of Texans Daily reported Sunday that Watson's uncertain availability "gives teams pause" as they discuss potential trades with the Texans' front office.

The Carolina Panthers are also involved in talks, though the Dolphins are the three-time Pro Bowl selection's "first choice" if he's ultimately moved, per Wilson.

Both the civil and criminal cases against him remain without a timetable for resolution, so the onus would fall on the NFL to make a decision about his playing status if a team trades for him ahead of the deadline with the intent to play him this season. 

On the field, Watson was one of the NFL's best quarterbacks across his first four NFL seasons.

The 26-year-old Clemson product posted a 67.8 percent completion rate with 104 touchdowns and 36 interceptions in 54 games. His 104.5 career passer rating ranks second among active QBs behind only the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes (107.2). He's also tallied 1,677 rushing yards and 17 scores on the ground.

He'd represent a significant upgrade over either the Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa and Panthers' Sam Darnold if cleared to play following a potential trade.

That said, there are still far more questions than answers with a week until the deadline.

While the Miami Dolphins have been the overwhelming focus of trade rumors for Deshaun Watson, it appears the Carolina Panthers are another potential strong suitor.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN made an appearance Monday on SportsCenter and said Carolina's loss to the New York Giants on Sunday may have created a bidding war:

"With Carolina, things have changed after that ugly loss to the New York Giants. I've checked with multiple sources who acknowledge that things could heat up for Watson, largely because they need a franchise quarterback, and right now, the feeling is they might not have one. Now, Carolina was heavily involved in Watson's sweepstakes back in February-March time before the sexual assault allegations. I was told they were willing to outbid just about anybody at that time, so that's important to keep in mind. Now Miami, their talks could intensify because the feeling around the league is they didn't want to bid against themselves originally. But now, if Carolina or other teams are involved, they might not have to. Sitting at 1-6, though, [it's] still unclear how far they want to go to the finish line here. But I was told directly from a source, Deshaun Watson is willing to consider multiple options here. It is not 'Miami or bust' as has been sort of the perception league-wide. Multiple teams are going to be interested, and he's going to take all that into account."

The Panthers dropped their fourth straight game in a 25-3 loss to the Giants, with quarterback Sam Darnold being benched in the second half. Darnold has thrown seven interceptions over the course of the losing streak. 

The Dolphins, meanwhile, dropped to 1-6 with a last-second loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Peter King of NBC Sports reported Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is "not pushing his football people" to make a deal for Watson, though it's possible that changes if the Panthers are interested. Miami has consistently expressed interest but reportedly did not want to bid against itself.

Teams have remained hesitant to meet the Texans' exorbitant asking price for Watson as he remains under investigation for sexual assault and misconduct. Twenty-two women have filed civil lawsuits, and several others spoke to Houston police regarding their allegations. The NFL is also conducting its own investigation.

The Texans have kept Watson inactive for each of their first seven games, allowing the NFL to avoid a decision on whether he'll be placed on the commissioner's exempt list. King reported the league has no plans to inform any potential suitor one way or another whether Watson will be eligible after a trade. Even if Watson is eligible for the remainder of this season, it's likely he will face a suspension next season under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

"I am trying to understand something," an executive told King. "We're not even sure if Watson would be able to play on opening day next year because of all these cases against him right now, and Houston thinks it'll get someone to pay three ones and two twos for him by the trading deadline this year? It's crazy to think anyone would do that. It's crazy for Houston to not wait till the offseason."

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported one factor that could push the Texans to make a more immediate move is owner Cal McNair, who "just wants it to be over with." Watson has also reportedly handled the situation "professionally" behind the scenes.

The Dolphins arguably have more incentive to make an immediate trade for Watson because they traded their first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles. That selection would be No. 2 or No. 3 if the season ended today. Adding Watson for the second half of the 2021 season—assuming he's eligible to play—might not make the Dolphins a playoff team, but they would likely win enough to wind up giving up a more palatable selection. 

The Panthers could instantly have one of football's most dynamic offenses with Watson and a returning Christian McCaffrey. However, they may be more comfortable waiting until the quarterback's legal situation is sorted. 

The Miami Dolphins are seemingly a top contender to land Deshaun Watson, but the Houston Texans might not want Tua Tagovailoa as part of the return package. 

"My sense is, and I know this might sound out of whack, that the Texans actually like Davis Mills more than Tua Tagovailoa," Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported.

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported the Dolphins are "very heavily engaged" in trade talks with the Texans to land Watson. 

"No team has been as motivated to consummate a trade before the deadline than Miami," Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports added.

Miami could be looking for something to jumpstart the team after a 1-6 start to the season, but the move could block Tagovailoa's path as a franchise quarterback.

Houston, meanwhile, would be searching for a new young quarterback and could seemingly get one with Tagovailoa, the 2020 No. 5 draft pick who has appeared in just 14 games during his NFL career.

The former Alabama star missed three games this season with a rib injury but has played well the past two weeks, totaling 620 passing yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions. On the season, Tagovailoa has seven touchdowns in four games with a 95.1 rating.

Mills hasn't been as effective, with five touchdowns and seven interceptions through six appearances, good for a 74.4 rating.

The 2021 third-round pick had one good game against the New England Patriots in Week 5 (312 passing yards and three touchdowns), but he has just one touchdown pass in his other four starts combined. The Texans haven't scored a touchdown in three of their past four games.

Houston clearly still believes in Mills, who was the organization's first draft pick last April. Trading away Watson without getting a quarterback in return would signal even more faith in the 23-year-old going forward. 

The Houston Texans have received at least one trade offer for Deshaun Watson, according to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio.

While unable to identify the mystery team, Florio speculated it could be the Carolina Panthers. The Athletic's Joe Person reported the Panthers are expected to be in the hunt.

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported the Texans are optimistic they can trade Watson before the Nov. 2 deadline and that the Miami Dolphins remain the "most aggressive suitor."

The three-time Pro Bowler has yet to appear in a game this season, with Houston leaving him out of the lineup for its first six games.

Watson is facing 22 civil lawsuits from women tied to allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. His attorney, Rusty Hardin, confirmed in July that 10 women have also filed complaints with Houston police.

Florio reported in September the NFL hasn't suspended Watson or placed him on the commissioner's exempt list because the situation is taking care of itself to some extent. The situation would evolve were he to land with another team by the deadline.

The general uncertainty of Watson's status doesn't seem to be turning suitors away, nor is it leading the Texans to significantly lower their asking price.

According to La Canfora, Houston is looking for "essentially five to six premium assets." Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported the team wants at least three first-round picks and two more draft selections.

To the extent any one game may shift Miami's thinking, Tua Tagovailoa is 32-of-40 for 291 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Panthers, meanwhile, benched Sam Darnold on Sunday against the New York Giants after he went 16-of-25 for 111 yards and one interception. The 24-year-old doesn't look like a long-term solution for Carolina.

Whether it's on the Dolphins, Panthers or another team, it seems more likely than not Watson will finish out the season for a different franchise.