NFL rumors: Surprise team mentioned in Deshaun Watson trade conversation

Deshuan Watson’s time with the Texans seems to be coming to an end. Don’t be surprised if this NFC upstart makes a trade offer for his services. 

If the Texans do put Deshaun Watson on the trade block they will field a number of offers. One off-the-radar team that projects to make a strong bid for the talented quarterback is the Carolina Panthers.

Ian Rappoport of NFL Network points out that while the Jets and Dolphins have been discussed publicly as potential Watson destinations, no one should “dismiss the Panthers being in the mix.” Carolina is very interested in charting their long-term future at the quarterback position after an uninspiring season from Teddy Bridgewater.

Watson will be required to waive his no-trade clause to approve any trade this offseason. It’s worth noting that he does have some roots in the Carolina region. He still possesses a large affinity for his collegiate days at Clemson. The Panthers actually conduct their training camp in South Carolina relatively close to the Tigers’ campus.

How would Watson fit on the Panthers?

The on-field fit between Watson and Panthers’ head coach Matt Rhule also offers a lot of intrigue. Carolina moved the ball well in 2020 despite Christian McCaffrey’s extended injury absence. The team’s inability to cash in possessions in the red zone torpedoed any chance the team had to contend for a playoff berth.

Bridgewater has come under particular criticism for his inability to lead his team on game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. Adding a dynamic signal-caller like Watson would make the Panthers much more dynamic with the game on the line. His ability to throw the ball down the field and make plays with his legs would give Carolina’s offense an extra dimension they lacked last season.

The big question the Panthers must answer is how much they’re willing to offer in a trade for the franchise quarterback. Adding Watson to the team’s offense would give Carolina an excellent group of skill players. Receivers D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson would give Watson terrific options on the outside. The team would still have a lot of offseason work to do to build an offensive line capable of protecting Watson.

It’s very likely that any Watson trade would gut the Panthers’ cache of draft assets for the foreseeable future. This year’s first-round pick would almost certainly be included in the deal. Multiple future first rounders would also need to head Houston’s way. Parting with that much draft capital would complicate Carolina’s ability to rebuild the rest of their roster.

It’s still a move worth making for the Panthers. The franchise has to find a quarterback to trigger Rhule’s offense at a high level if they want to become legitimate contenders in the NFC. Trading for Watson would be expensive, but worth it for Carolina.