The best player on the Texans’ 2021 roster never played a down. The team made quarterback Deshaun Watson inactive for all 17 games last season.
Even as he remained mostly out of sight, Watson’s presence on the 53-player roster hung over the organization.
The “finality” as Lovie Smith calls it came on March 18 when the Texans traded Watson to the Browns.
“Well, I know for me, (Watson’s presence) was there. No matter what we say, it was there,” Smith said Monday. “I know for Deshaun, we had one of the best players in football not playing. That’s not good for the league. So for him to move on, it has to be good. For us, yes, we want to be talking about Houston Texans football. Now, we’re able to do that. It is final. As you go forward, adding the picks, we know what our future looks like. As much as anything, just to be able to do that is pretty special, and we’re excited about moving on.”
Smith won’t have to answer many more questions about Watson, who now is…