How many draft picks should Panthers sacrifice for Deshaun Watson?

Just how many NFL Draft picks would it take for the Carolina Panthers to get their hands on Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson?

The rumors surrounding a possible trade for Deshaun Watson aren’t going away anytime soon. There appears to be little salvaging his relationship with the Houston Texans at this juncture and the closer it gets to the 2021 NFL Draft, the more receptive those in power should be to moving their prized possession with no first or second-round picks to call upon this year.

Make no mistake, the Carolina Panthers will be at the front of the queue when the Texans eventually start fielding calls and won’t hang up the phone until a deal is agreed. The franchise has made no secret of its desire to get an upgrade on Teddy Bridgewater after an inconsistent first year under center and although it’s going to take a king’s ransom, Watson is priority No. 1 and could transform their fortunes in an instant.

According to a recent report, the Panthers are willing to “pay any price” to bring Watson back to an area where he shone in college at Clemson on his way to becoming the No. 12 overall selection in 2017.

There is the player’s no-trade clause to consider. But providing Carolina doesn’t have to give up too much in the way of playing personnel and the fact he’s now gone past the point of no return with Houston, it would be a huge shock if he didn’t sign off on a move if an agreement can be reached.

The Texans aren’t going to give Watson away in a similar fashion they did DeAndre Hopkins. A new regime is in place with a view to turning around their disastrous fortunes over the last 18 months, but one side is going to buckle soon and it is more likely to be Houston than the signal-caller.

Carolina will be ready and waiting. But how much in the way of draft capital could they be willing to part with?