NFL rumors: Jets are Texans’ Deshaun Watson’s top choice — partly because of Robert Saleh — but will Joe Douglas trade for him?

Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson — a disgruntled star and one of the NFL’s top players — wants to be traded to the Jets.

At least according to this Miami Herald report, which notes:

Watson this week told people the Jets are his top preference among the teams he’d like to be traded to because they hired Robert Saleh to be their coach and Watson values Saleh so much he wanted the Texans to interview him for their vacant head coach job.

Watson is obviously a big fan of new Jets coach Robert Saleh. The Dolphins — who are closer to contending than the Jets — could also be in the mix for Watson’s services.

If, that is, the Texans even agree to trade him. Perhaps new Houston general manager Nick Caserio can mend things with Watson and keep him with the Texans.

If not, Watson has a no-trade clause, so he can essentially pick his next team. The caveat with that, of course, is this: How many teams would be willing to surrender the draft haul it would take to get Watson? And would Jets general manager Joe Douglas actually agree to pull the trigger on such a deal, which could involve shipping out three first-round draft picks?

There are clearly a lot of variables with this situation.

The Jets and Dolphins draft second and third this year, so the Texans would presumably their Watson replacement with one of those picks, after Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence goes No. 1 to Jacksonville.

Watson has yet to formally request a trade, and the Texans have so far shown no public willingness to deal him. But considering how unhappy he is, it’s certainly possible.

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Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.