In late September, when the proposition of acquiring Deshaun Watson continued to linger inside the Miami Dolphins, it became clear to the Houston Texans and the quarterback’s legal camp that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wasn’t getting a piece of clarity that he wanted.
Watson’s 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct were sitting in the Harris County District Court system with virtually no movement to speak of, while there was no guidance available regarding a potential grand jury investigation into some of those claims. Both of these realities made Ross wary of a deal, particularly one that involved Houston’s asking price of three first-round draft picks and two second-round selections.