4 ways Deshaun Watson would transform the Carolina Panthers
By Dean Jones
Should the Carolina Panthers manage to secure Deshaun Watson in a trade this offseason, it would transform the franchise.
It’s going to take an awful lot for the Carolina Panthers to land Deshaun Watson this offseason. The Houston Texans hold all the cards and won’t let their franchise player go without a fight despite his trade request. So that leaves every team looking to acquire the former first-round pick sitting on their hands as they wait for the saga to develop.
The longer it goes on, the more teams will begin looking in a different direction.
This would perhaps shrink the market somewhat. But it would be a huge shock if the Panthers weren’t in right until the end along with the New York Jets and possibly the Miami Dolphins, who can offer more in the way of draft capital to tempt the Texans into doing a deal.
Watson is reportedly willing to sign off on a move back to the Carolinas, where he starred at Clemson on his way to becoming the No. 12 overall selection in 2017. Owner David Tepper is also going to be hugely influential in this possible switch and even though it would be sacrificing a significant amount, the juice might be worth the squeeze after Teddy Bridgewater’s indifferent first season under center.
With that being said, here are four ways trading for Watson would transform the Panthers from the moment he stepped foot into the organization.
Number 1
The fear factor
Teddy Bridgewater might be an accurate thrower, but he is never going to strike fear into opposing defenses. His limitations are there for all to see and going 0-8 on game-winning or tying drives in 2020 was probably the final nail in the player’s coffin with the Carolina Panthers.
There appears little doubt Deshaun Watson would change all that in an instant.
Acquiring a signal-caller who is easily top-five will alter the dynamic. It would make scheming for the Panthers almost impossible providing they keep running back Christian McCaffrey and if they managed to improve their protection during free agency or the 2021 NFL Draft, they’d be a real force to be reckoned with.
The fear factor can make all the difference. And make no mistake, this is something Watson now has after becoming the NFL’s passing leader in 2020 without the presence of his former All-Pro wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins.