Texans to allow WR Will Fuller to test free agency

The Houston Texans have no plans to use the franchise tag on Will Fuller, preferring to let the receiver test the free agent market.

Fuller was coming off of a career year with 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns. Fuller was even healthy through the first 11 games of the 2020 season. However, with five games remaining, he was suspended five games for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. Not only did the former 2016 first-round pick from Notre Dame miss the last five games of the season, but the final game of his suspension will be served in Week 1 of 2021. Meaning, he is guaranteed to not complete a 16-game season, a feat he has never accomplished in his career.

The subtle part of Fuller getting away from the Texans is the club may not have any plans to keep Watson, or they don’t care what he thinks. Fuller was one of the players Watson would be campaigning to bring back in 2021.

“I’m definitely going to be on that with the organization and with him,” Watson told reporters on Jan. 4. “I actually saw him before I came in today and we sat and talked in the parking lot a little bit. We’re all on the same page in what we want to do and hopefully we can get him back with (Randall) Cobb and Brandin (Cooks) here and get some other guys, some other pieces that can help us out and we can really take another step, especially offensively.”

If the Texans are allowing Fuller to hit free agency, it means they have other plans to step forward offensively, which could be a step back as the team is on the verge of entering a rebuilding phase.

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Texans Free Agent Profile: What to do with WR Will Fuller?