Carolina Panthers rumors: Deshaun Watson trade still possible?

The Carolina Panthers traded for Sam Darnold this offseason but, if a door were to open for a Deshaun Watson trade, they might not rule it out. 

Prior to all of Deshaun Watson’s legal trouble when his then seemingly inevitable trade was at the forefront of the NFL news cycle, the Carolina Panthers always appeared to be in the running. Not only would it bring Watson back to the Carolinas but an aggressive owner, David Tepper, would get the franchise quarterback he’s been seeking.

With what is now 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints filed against Watson coming to light, though, any Watson trade has been left in limbo. The Panthers, for their part, pivoted and traded for former Jets first-round pick Sam Darnold, taking a swing on the talented quarterback who has been much maligned in the NFL in hopes of finding a diamond in the rough.

Apparently the notion of a Watson trade hasn’t left the minds of the Panthers front office, though. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported on Wednesday that Carolina has “quietly” been “keeping an eye” on the Texans quarterback. Florio noted that Tepper remains fixated on finding a long-term plan at quarterback and Watson, on the field, would answer any questions there.

Florio also noted that the Texans do appear intent on trading Deshaun Watson at this point but new general manager Nick Caserio doesn’t want to get “fleeced” in a deal. With everything ongoing around Watson legally and the team’s desire to move on, though, the likely conclusion is moving on from the quarterback for anything the team can get.

Could the Carolina Panthers still trade for Deshaun Watson?

In short, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Panthers ultimately ended up landing Deshaun Watson. They are one of the few NFL teams still interested or closely monitoring the situation with the Houston quarterback right now and, though a gamble on Darnold could work out, Watson is far more of a sure thing on the football field.

Yet, the legal issues for Watson stand in the way of everything. The NFL is being forced to wait on evidence that will eventually be presented to a grand jury regarding the alleged “coercive and lewd sexual behavior” and two cases of sexual assault before it hands down any suspension. And that precludes any legal implications that could await Watson depending on how things transpire in court.

A team such as the Panthers would love to have Watson as a football player but it’s hard to believe any trade is going to take shape until there is at least some clarity to what will happen with the quarterback legally and with his status in the NFL. And on that matter, Peter King noted in his FMIA column that anyone “would be guessing” at what the conclusion to that is.

That Carolina remains at least intrigued at the prospect of trading for Watson in spite of all of this does lend itself to a belief that the Panthers could be the likely eventual trade destination for the quarterback. When that happens and under what circumstances, though, are impossible questions to answer.