The Texans are in the middle of somewhat of a slow motion immolation of their franchise, one that has seen a former Patriots character coach seize control and alienate franchise players and fans alike. The latest step in that increasingly large barge fire is releasing J.J. Watt, the best player in franchise history at the moment. Watt had made his desire to escape pretty clear in recent weeks, and Houston is granting his wish.
The list of teams who won’t be interested in Watt is probably short, but the list of teams that will have the cap flexibility, proximity to contention, and appetite for actually signing a declining but effective player who has missed significant time in three of the past five seasons will also be short.