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Rod Wood on why Detroit Lions did not pursue Deshaun Watson: 'We have a quarterback'

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Detroit Lions president Rod Wood said Monday the team never seriously considered pursuing troubled quarterback Deshaun Watson in a trade before he was dealt to the Cleveland Browns earlier this month.

“We have a quarterback, so we were never in the game for that," Wood said at the NFL's annual meeting. "I don’t think — I don’t want to get into the off-the-field stuff and what the Browns talked about what they did and the other teams that pursued him, but it just wasn’t part of our plans."

The Houston Texans traded Watson, 26, to the Browns for five draft picks, including first-round choices in 2022-24.