How many draft picks should Panthers sacrifice for Deshaun Watson?
By Dean Jones
How many NFL Draft picks will it take for Deshaun Watson?
If the Houston Texans are demanding four first-round picks when they start fielding offers for Deshaun Watson, then the Carolina Panthers should give them up. This would be a daring move whichever way one looks at it, but considering Tom Brady isn’t going away soon with the Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the organization needs to be bold in their quest for a signal-caller who can help them reach their objectives.
Realistically speaking, if the Panthers want to get one of the top-three quarterbacks in this year’s draft, they’ll have to move up to select one. This would cost next year’s first-rounder and more, so why not give up a little bit extra for Watson rather than risk capital on a prospect who may or may not work out.
Opportunities like this simply don’t come along every day in the NFL and the benefits extend far beyond what Watson would bring on the field.
- Elite quarterback entering his prime
- Position stability for the next decade
- A more attractive destination for free agents
- Increased national exposure
- Probable increase in commercial opportunities
And that is just for starters.
If Carolina eventually got their hands on Watson, chances are they’d be picking in the twenties anyway. So why not take a shot at the pursuit of greatness?
Not doing so and plundering along in mediocrity would be even worse.
Nobody is saying four, five, or even six draft picks isn’t an astronomical amount for one player. But the Panthers would prefer to give this away as compensation rather than gutting their roster, which isn’t that far away from being a playoff contender.