Patriots: This Deshaun Watson conspiracy theory could explain Nick Caserio’s departure
Could the Patriots use Nick Caserio to trade for Deshaun Watson?
There were certainly some mixed feelings in New England this week when it was announced Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio, who had been with the organization in some capacity since 2001, would be leaving to accept the general manager role with the Houston Texans.
Those concerned perhaps believe losing that kind of continuity is tough to recover from. They’re not wrong. Then again, the Patriots have largely drafted poorly since 2014. One could argue a change needed to be made if Caserio was unable to steer Bill Belichick in a different direction when you sit down and look at all the failed draft picks.
The whole thing certainly could be a blessing in disguise … but what if it’s for a completely different reason? Shall we stoke the conspiracy flames? Probably not the best time to do that given the climate of our country, but we’re talking sports here, it’s much less dangerous.
There's a growing buzz in league circles that Deshaun Watson could ask to be traded, and his new contract doesn't make that as difficult as you'd think https://t.co/wvY5BxQZRq
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 7, 2021
What if … the Patriots let Caserio go, after years of trapping him in New England, under the one condition that he’d trade Deshaun Watson to New England if given the opportunity? And did they help plant the seeds with Jack Easterby in April of 2019? Whether you like it or not, the Patriots, historically, do seem to have something sneaky up their sleeves.
No, there isn’t any evidence behind this, but it’s an intriguing scenario to ponder in wake of Caserio’s departure coupled with the newfound buzz of Watson potentially wanting out of Houston. After all, his tweet in response to the Texans hiring Caserio, coupled with JJ Watt’s support, could indicate there’s some sort of house-cleaning on the way. And by all accounts, Easterby masterminded this hire — Caserio wasn’t even on the list of finalists until he stepped in and inserted him atop the pile.
And guess who needs a quarterback?
Texans gave new GM Nick Caserio a six-year contract that makes him one of the three highest-paid GMs in the league, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 7, 2021
The Texans, for years, have seemingly been a faux pipeline for Belichick cast-offs, and we’re still not sure why. It’s a bizarre football fetish to have, especially when it’s abundantly clear that Belichick is the puppet master pulling the strings. Though his assistants are helpful in some way, they’re not the ones instituting an organizational philosophy across 20 years.
Call it dumb. Call it fake. Call it a reach. But the Patriots need a star quarterback to thrust themselves back into contention, and they now have a direct connection to the Texans organization a year after blocking that connection from pursuing the opportunity. Caserio and Easterby are running the show in the front office. There’s legitimate reason to believe that this could happen, despite the fact it’s unlikely.
But you can always revisit this if it does.
