Deshaun Watson still wants out, but will the Panthers go for broke?
By Dean Jones
Deshaun Watson is still looking for a trade from the Houston Texans, but are the Carolina Panthers prepared to risk it all for the quarterback?
Deshaun Watson is a man who has rarely been out of the headlines this offseason. The quarterback handed in a trade request and is still the subject of some serious legal allegations that need resolving before he takes the field, but the player seems intent on competing in 2021 regardless of everything else going on around him.
It was no secret that the Carolina Panthers were hugely interested in Watson before matters away from the gridiron caused teams across the league to think twice. Those in power decided not to wait around and risk losing out entirely, eventually acquiring Sam Darnold from the New York Jets for what equates to a second-round pick after a flurry of trade activity during the draft.
According to multiple reports on Sunday, Watson is showing up at the Houston Texans for training camp to avoid the hefty fines that come with holding out under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, his stance regarding a move away from the franchise hasn’t changed.
Deshaun Watson would be a big upgrade for the Carolina Panthers.
There aren’t many teams in the NFL who wouldn’t consider Watson an upgrade on their current starting option. The same also applies to the Panthers despite bringing Darnold on board and they do have more than $24 million in salary-cap to facilitate a move should they choose to go in this particular direction.
Watson showing up is just the start of what is going to be a story with many twists and turns before a final solution comes to light. Carolina appears to have every faith in Darnold despite his production in MetLife Stadium, but they’ll need to act swiftly to get a realistic shot at securing the former Clemson standout if everything goes according to plan.