Attorney: Deshaun Watson trade to Dolphins hinged on lawsuit settlements, NDAs

Corrections & Clarifications: This story has been updated to remove a reference to Deshaun Watson being on the commissioner's ineligible list.

According to the lawyer representing the 22 women who have alleged sexual assault or harassment against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, any trade to the Miami Dolphins prior to this week's deadline in the NFL hinged on lawsuit settlements. 

"At some point the Dolphins wanted 22 settlements," Tony Buzbee told local Houston television station Fox 26. "I made it clear, after talking to my clients, that that wasn’t gonna happen and then they lowered that number. I made that clear that wasn’t gonna happen. Watson’s team was trying to sell the Dolphins on some lower number and I think that never came to pass."

ESPN reported that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and Watson spoke over the phone Monday night, but the nature of the conversation was not revealed. Ross had "contingencies that needed to be met," per ESPN.

Watson ultimately remained in Houston and has not played this season while the league and police investigate the allegations. He has not played for the 1-7 Texans this year.

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Buzbee said Watson's whereabouts does not affect the case. It was that an inadequate number of plaintiffs – in the Dolphins' eyes, Buzbee said – were not willing to settle. 

Part of the reasoning behind not settling, Buzbee told Fox 26, was the inclusion of non-disclosure agreements. 

"We pushed back on that very hard," the lawyer said. "For some of the women that was the deal-breaker." 

Buzbee added that "time is on (his) side" and the case will likely move forward once he can depose Watson in February. 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.