Deshaun Watson might want the Houston Texans to trade him. Which teams would make the most sense?
The Houston Texans have what NFL teams covet — a franchise quarterback. They took Deshaun Watson No. 12 overall in 2017 and he’s been spectacular for them. Unfortunately for the Texans, Watson seems displeased with the team’s current situation and could look to ask for a trade this offseason.
Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:
"Rumors already are circulating, and we’ve already heard them from multiple different people, that Watson has quietly broached with teammates the possibility of requesting a trade."
This would be huge if true, as Watson has another decade-plus of solid football left in him. He’s stuck with a team that probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, however, and it makes sense that he’d want to be a part of a winning team. The Texans have no first or second-round picks in this year’s draft and that’s going to make it hard to rebuild.
If these rumors are true, where would the best landing spots be for Watson’s services? Let’s take a look at seven of the best options.
Deshaun Watson trade landing spot No. 7: Carolina Panthers
This option doesn’t seem super likely, as the Panthers aren’t a winning-franchise right now, but they certainly could be with Watson in-house. Assuming Joe Brady doesn’t get a head coaching job this offseason, pairing him with Watson in Carolina would be a dream come true.
The Panthers need a quarterback too, as Teddy Bridgewater is dependable, but he isn’t the future for Carolina. He has two years left on his deal, but Carolina could trade him and there’d certainly be suitors for Bridgewater.
The NFC South won’t be so scary after Drew Brees retires and once Tom Brady is finally ready to call it a career. If Watson went to Carolina, this could be the Panthers’ chance to dominate the division for the next decade.