The quarterback dominoes are falling fast. Dak Prescott began the moves last week when he re-signed with the Cowboys. The Bears made an effort to trade for Seahawks star Russell Wilson but were told no, so naturally they settled for Andy Dalton. Also, Ryan Fitzpatrick has signed with WFT and Tyrod Taylor just joined the Texans on a one-year deal, which brings us back around to the biggest Panthers storyline of the offseason.
With another quarterback on the roster in Houston, the Deshaun Watson trade speculation has picked up again. On that front, Carolina is still “locked” on Watson, according to Joe Person at the Athletic.
“But most league insiders believe Caserio eventually will deal Watson, presumably prior to the April 29-May 1 draft to maximize the return. And the Panthers will be among the teams hammering Caserio’s cell. An executive with a team that has been monitoring the quarterback market said Tuesday the Panthers “are locked” on Watson, the 25-year-old who grew up in Gainesville, Ga., and won a national championship at Clemson — both within an easy half-day drive of Charlotte.”
You won’t hear any argument from us if the Panthers eventually deal for Watson, even if it takes three first-round picks, two defensive starters and the keys to the stadium.
Watson’s QBwinz/loss record has gotten a lot of attention from fans who clearly did not watch him play last season, when the Texans went 4-12. On film, Watson is breathing the same elite air as Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers, who just won his third MVP award at 37.
At 25 years old, Watson is the most desirable QB in the sport outside Kansas City. While it makes sense for the Panthers to be obsessed with getting Watson, the odds are still long.
For one thing, Watson would have to be convinced that Carolina is a worthy destination, as he holds a no-trade clause. The latest buzz from Watson’s camp is that he doesn’t want to go to the Jets or the Dolphins as previously reported, but prefers playing for the 49ers or the Broncos.
The idea of Kyle Shanahan getting his hands on Watson should be terrifying to the rest of the NFL on a nix-the-Chris-Paul-to-LA-trade kind of level and should give David Tepper and the other owners all the motivation they need to continue blowing up Houston’s phones.
While adding Watson would make Denver much more dangerous, the Broncos went 5-11 last season and even getting Watson wouldn’t make them the favorite in the same division as Mahomes.
The Texans are also likely disinclined to trade him to another AFC team when the time comes.
That’s good news for the Panthers, who at least may “intrigue” Watson according to Jeremy Fowler at ESPN. That said, Carolina has posted a 5-11 record two years in a row and can’t compare with San Francisco’s outlook in the immediate future – especially if they land No. 4.
Watson would need to be sold on a vision of turning this team back into a contender even after giving up a massive haul of draft capital and young talent in the Houston deal. He may also need to be convinced that the Panthers won’t make a habit of mistreating their franchise quarterbacks. The way they handled Cam Newton’s situation last year might give Watson pause, especially considering their relationship.
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