Watson's no-trade clause provided him the ability to steer trade discussions to his next destination.
The Texans selected Watson in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has made three Pro Bowls during his career and led the NFL in passing (4,823 yards) during the 2020 season.
With the expected addition of Watson, the Browns are now expected to trade former No. 1 overall draft pick Baker Mayfield, who on Thursday requested a trade from the organization that drafted him in 2018.
Rapoport reported that Mayfield is not expected to be part of the trade package to the Texans, and he will be dealt as part of a separate transaction.
With Watson headed to the AFC North, the Saints, Falcons and Panthers will regroup and assess their current QB rooms.
Rapoport reported that the Falcons will turn their attention to longtime starter and former AP NFL Most Valuable Player Matt Ryan to make him feel wanted as he considers his options. It was previously reported that the Falcons and Ryan had agreed to a contract restructure to free up $12 million worth of salary-cap space.
The Saints fell just short of the playoffs last season -- Sean Payton's final year as head coach -- as they struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position and finished the year 9-8. Jameis Winston opened the season as the starter under center but a torn ACL ended his year early, forcing Payton to shuffle between Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian and Ian Book in New Orleans' first season in 16 years without future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. A potential Winston-Saints reunion now is something to monitor in New Orleans.