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Deshaun Watson has requested a trade from the Texans, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday.

Watson made the request to the team weeks ago, sources told Schefter. Multiple outlets have subsequently confirmed Schefter's initial report.

The Texans' new head-coaching hire, David Culley, has not and will not alter Watson's thinking, according to an array of national and local reporters, and the quarterback hasn't spoken to new Texans general manager Nick Caserio or executive Jack Easterby.

Watson, who signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension in September, is under contract through the 2025 season. He has a no-trade clause, but given the length of his contract and the possibility of franchise-tagging him for three years, the Texans could choose not to trade him and would have control of his rights through the 2028 season.

The trade request comes after Watson was reportedly unhappy with the process used by the team to hire Caserio in early January.

If the Texans choose not to trade Watson, he could opt to not report to mandatory team activities or training camp, but at a cost. Houston can fine Watson $95,877 for missing minicamp and can fine him $50,000 per day for each day of training camp missed plus one week's salary -- $620,000 -- for each preseason game missed.

In the unlikely scenario that Watson chooses to retire, the Texans can collect $21.6 million.

Given all that, Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio contends Caserio and the Texans have some pretty simple choices:

(1) Say they’re not trading him and mean it; (2) Say they’re not trading him and not mean it; or (3) Say they’re trading him.

According to Houston Chronicle staffer Aaron Wilson, the Texans are already saying they don't want to trade Watson and hope to repair their relationship with him. That may not be possible, according to Wilson’s sources. If that's the case, Watson needs to be ready to dig in.

And he may well be ready to do that.

While the Texans reached out to Watson to inform him that they hired Culley, it's worth noting that Watson previously learned on social media previously that the Texans hired Caserio and that All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had been traded to the Arizona Cardinals in a controversial move last offseason. Watson is upset with Texans chairman and chief operating officer Cal McNair for a lack of input into the hiring process after being assured that he would have input and has lost confidence in the direction of the franchise.

All this comes after a season in which Watson set career highs in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage. He also threw a career-low seven interceptions. His 33 touchdowns and 4,823 passing yards were single-season franchise records.

The quarterback's best individual season came in a year the team went 4-12 and fired coach and general manager Bill O'Brien after an 0-4 start.

Although he has played only four seasons (54 games), Watson's 104 passing touchdowns and 14,539 passing yards rank second in Texans franchise history behind Matt Schaub (124 touchdowns and 23,221 passing yards in 90 games).

Watson is the NFL's career leader in completion percentage ahead of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. In 2020, Watson became just the 11th player in NFL history to complete at least 70 percent of his passes in a single season.

Teams like the Dolphins, Jets and Panthers have been mentioned as potential suitors for the 25-year-old’s services, although others are now wading into the fray -- NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that at least half the league has called the Texans to inquire about Watson -- and any deal will also have to bring back the right compensation for Houston to sign off on the trade.