Colts should be thrilled with new reports of dysfunction in Houston

The Colts should be licking their chops watching the Texans continue to fall all over themselves.

The Indianapolis Colts seem seem publicly committed to Philip Rivers if he were to return for another year, which is understandable given how he exceeded expectations this past season and the lack of franchise-caliber options on both the free agency and trade market.

However, that would change in a heartbeat if Deshaun Watson were to be made available. The 25-year-old superstar signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Texans prior to the start of 2020, which included a no-trade clause, seemingly locking him down for the foreseeable future.

Amid the continued dysfunction in Houston, however, there’s growing speculation that Watson could lift that clause and request a deal to a team that makes him a pitch he can’t refuse. If the Colts were smart, they’d be keeping close tabs on their free-falling relationship.

Per the latest reports, executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby, in an attempt to save his own bacon, accused Patriots owner Robert Kraft of funding stories published by Sports Illustrated that portrayed him in a negative light.

Sports Illustrated has since denied the accusations and Texans owner Cal McNair himself even came out publicly to state that he doesn’t believe Kraft would do such a thing. It’s not often you see an owner not take the side of a high-ranking executive, especially amid controversy, but that is simply the magnitude of the hole that Easterby has dug himself.

Before that story was even published, Watson tweeted that his anger level has reached a 10 following the Texans’ latest blunders, which included violating an agreement that assured him they would interview the head coach and general manager candidates he endorsed.

We don’t even want to fathom how much that level has swelled, but sources close to the three-time Pro Bowler apparently told SI.com that he “just wants out” of Houston.

We really don’t have to tell you that Watson would make the Colts an instant championship contender. OK, maybe we did because it sounds heavenly, but the bottom line is that Indy has the requisite draft capital and salary cap to pull off a trade of this enormity and they should be poised to strike if the opportunity arises.

And even if they opt out of the conversation? Getting Watson off a division rival, while said team completely implodes, is close to a best-case scenario.

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