Deshaun Watson: Is the juice worth the squeeze for Panthers?

Trading for Deshaun Watson: The squeeze

Not making a move for Deshaun Watson has nothing to do with his production on the field. The quarterback is a rare breed of player who can make things happen at the drop of a hat, but the cost to bring such an individual to the Carolina Panthers is going to be nothing short of extortionate.

If Matthew Stafford commanded two first-round picks, then you’re looking at four for Watson on top of everything else. Hitting home runs with first-rounders is a tricky business for most NFL teams. But the Panthers have been able to strike gold over the last decade with some outstanding players.

To name a few.

• Derrick Brown (2020 – No. 7)
• Brian Burns (2019 – No. 16)
• D.J. Moore (2018 – No. 24)
• Christian McCaffrey (2017 – No. 8)
• Shaq Thompson (2015 – No. 25)
• Luke Kuechly (2012 – No. 9)
• Cam Newton (2011 – No. 1)

Now, there were a couple of duds in there, too. But this strong history of drafting top players might just make the Panthers think twice about giving up so many high-end selections in a potential Watson trade.

There is also the matter of two young talented defensive players that the Texans are reportedly looking for. That would mean giving up someone like Derrick Brown, Jeremy Chinn, Yetur Gross-Matos, Donte Jackson, or Brian Burns, which just doesn’t seem feasible considering the strides made by Carolina’s defense in 2020 under Phil Snow.

You don’t win anything without a good quarterback.

But as Watson’s efforts in Houston last season further state, a good signal-caller is nothing unless there is a defense capable of holding up its end of the bargain.