Texans have had no communications with the lawyers in the Deshaun Watson case

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Attorney Tony Buzbee’s Thursday night statement included an eight-word bombshell that raised plenty of questions as to the negotiations between Buzbee’s 22 clients and the representatives of quarterback Deshaun Watson.

“They begged us via the Texans to mediate,” Buzbee claimed.

This statement suggests that the Texans have become actively involved in efforts to settle the cases. That’s not the case.

Per multiple sources, the Texans have had no contact with either of the lawyers or the parties regarding the litigation filed against Watson.

Buzbee’s contention, as one source explained it, comes from the reality that a Houston lawyer who has provided legal services to Texans owner Cal McNair attempted to act as a liaison between Buzbee and Hardin for the purposes of setting up a mediation session. While, in theory, the lawyer may have been acting with the express or implied authority of McNair, the lawyer did not characterize his role as an emissary or representative of the Texans.

That said, the Texans have an obvious interest in seeing a resolution of the lawsuits filed against Watson. That would immediately boost a market for a trade. It also would help the Texans avoid the possibility of having to pay Watson his eight-figure salary while on paid leave, if the cases aren’t resolved and if Watson ends up on the Commissioner Exempt list.

Regardless, the Texans haven’t gotten involved in any efforts to get these cases settled.