Dolphins may have interest in Watson

MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins remain intrigued by the possibility of acquiring Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson but haven’t been willing to meet Houston’s high asking price amid the uncertainty of his legal situation, a source reiterated Saturday.

Yahoo reported on Saturday afternoon that the Dolphins have emerged as the frontrunner in trade discussions with the Texans for Watson and that the Texans want three first-round picks and two second-round picks in return, according to a team that dropped out of trade talks.

The Dolphins — impressed by Tua Tagovailoa’s improvement but also admirers of Watson — have been unwilling to acquiesce to the Texans’ demands, with one source scoffing at the notion of Miami relinquishing that much with the legal cloud surrounding the Houston star quarterback.

The Dolphins own the 49ers’ first-round pick in 2022, but Miami’s 2022 firstround pick belongs to Philadelphia. The Dolphins own two first-round picks in 2023: their own and the 49ers’.

The Dolphins had no immediate comment on the report. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier publicly expressed a commitment to Tagovailoa immediately after last season but the team has neither publicly nor privately denied interest in Watson in recent months.

Dolphins coach Brian Flores likely will asked to address the report during his next availability after Sunday’s preseason game against Cincinnati.

Yahoo said teams interested in Watson want protections on involved draft picks, while the FBI and the Houston police department investigate sexual assault allegations against Watson from 10 women.