'Always Had Hope': Texans Ex Culley Reveals View on QB Deshaun Watson

"There was always hope that maybe he might change his mind.” 

Texans general manager Nick Caserio, however, wasn't holding out for a change of heart. Houston immediately signed journeyman Tyrod Taylor to a one-year deal in March. Come April, Caserio used his first pick, a third-rounder, on Stanford quarterback Davis Mills, thus signaling a potential departure of Watson. 

As training camp ensued, Watson worked in limited drills during individuals before being set to the sideline. He wouldn't partake in team drills with the first-team offense, often being relegated to working scout-team defense. 

By the time the season was in swing, Watson was nowhere to be found at practice. He would come to the facility, but Houston began its process of moving forward without him.

“There was no need for him to be in our meetings anymore because he was not going to be active," Culley said. "We knew that going in, and we handled it that way. We knew were going to have one less guy on our active roster that wasn’t going to play during the year, and we understood that and we dealt with it.”

Taylor began the season as the Texans' starter, but a hamstring injury in Week 2 opened the door for Mills. The third-rounder went 2-9 in 11 starts, but vastly improved in his second stint working with the first-team. 

Mills posted a 102.4 passer rating in the final five games — eighth-highest among all active quarterbacks. He also threw nine touchdowns against two interceptions while picking up a pair of wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers.

Of the six rookie quarterbacks who started at least one game, Mills finished second in every statistical category behind New England's Mac Jones. The Texans are hopeful he'll advance as a starter this fall with the promotion of quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton. 

Watson was traded in March to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for six draft picks — three of which were first round selections. Last month, Watson settled 20 of 24 lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct when he played for the Texans.

And now it's the Browns, who await news of Watson's NFL suspension, who are engaging in the practice of "hope.''