4 reasons the Panthers cannot risk it all for Deshaun Watson in 2022
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers don’t have the assets
Whether or not Deshaun Watson’s legal issues come to a satisfactory conclusion is the major stumbling block for teams across the league. The quarterback is dealing with no fewer than 22 counts of sexual misconduct, which could have grave ramifications on the player’s future in the NFL if he’s found guilty.
This put teams off from trading for Watson both during the preseason and just before the 2021 trade deadline. The Carolina Panthers had another look at the signal-caller before deciding to bring back Cam Newton, but David Tepper has made no secret of his desire to make a big splash at the quarterback position in pursuit of getting his team back into the spotlight and playoff contention.
Watson has long been the target. But the Panthers might not even have the assets to make such a trade even with the No. 6 overall selection in 2022.
According to John McClain, any deal would likely come with Carolina’s next three first-round picks plus some other pieces to convince the Houston Texans into a deal.
"“Any trade would have to start with Carolina’s No. 1 draft choice, sixth overall. The Panthers’ second-round pick went to the Jets in the (Sam) Darnold deal. (Nick) Caserio would have to load up with Panthers picks in the 2023 and 2024 drafts to make a Watson trade worthwhile.”"
To say this would be mortgaging Carolina’s future would be a massive understatement. Watson might be elite when on the field, but having no wiggle room to build through the draft sufficiently might put the player off.