Photo courtesy of Houston Texans
The Carolina Panthers may have what it takes to trade for Houston Texans’ quarterback, Deshaun Watson.
Watson, coming off his fourth year in the NFL, has formally requested a trade. Recently-hired Houston general manager Nick Caserio, said he has “zero interest” in trading Watson; however, Caserio may not have a choice. Texans insider, John McClain, wrote that the Texans’ desired package for Watson would include at least two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and two young defensive starters.
For the Panthers to make this deal, Carolina would have to include two of the following players: Brian Burns, Jeremy Chinn, Derrick Brown, Yetur Gross-Matos, Dante Jackson or Shaq Thompson. They are the only young defensive starters that the Panthers possess.
Would Gross-Matos and Jackson along with the four draft picks get the deal done? Probably not. Gross-Matos is a borderline starter and Jackson only has one year remaining on his contract. The Texans will most likely require a trade for Watson to include Burns, Chinn, or Brown.
For cap purposes, the Panthers will most likely be required to include Teddy Bridgewater. For what it’s worth, Bridgewater would provide the Texans with a bridge quarterback to give them time to find and develop Watson’s replacement.
This trade will set the Panthers’ defense back years on their journey of acquiring defensive talent. Even after spending every draft pick on defense in 2020, the Panthers’ defensive unit still needs more talent at every level. Watson, however, is a top-5 quarterback in the NFL, and the Panthers need a franchise quarterback.
If Watson wants to come back closer to Clemson where he played college ball and if the Texans want to trade him to an NFC team to keep revenge games to a minimum, Carolina could be a realistic destination.
Best Case Trade
Panthers get: Deshaun Watson.
Texans get: Teddy Bridgewater, Shaq Thompson, Dante Jackson, two first-round picks (2021 No. 8 overall, 2022) and two second-round picks (2021 No. 40 overall, 2022).
In this scenario, the Panthers would fulfill the Texans’ demands for draft picks, as well as give them two defensive starters. Many Carolina fans would make this trade in a heartbeat. Jackson’s contract is expiring after 2021 and his accumulation of interceptions in the league is going to cause him to ask for a few more zeros than he deserves.
The ability to get rid of Thompson’s mammoth contract would make this trade a steal for the Panthers. Thompson is only 26, but he didn’t bloom into the Luke Kuechly replacement that former general manager Marty Hurney thought he would become when he gave Thompson a 4-year, $54.2 million extension.
The Texans may be interested in Thompson, who could be cut after 2021 with only a $6.4 million dead cap causality if he doesn’t have a breakout season. This scenario is extremely unlikely.
Worst Case Trade
Panthers get: Deshaun Watson.
Texans get: Teddy Bridgewater, Jeremy Chinn, Brian Burns, two first-round picks (2021 No. 8 overall, 2022) and two second-round picks (2021 No. 40 overall, 2022).
While fulfilling the Texans’ demands, this trade is too much. Chinn and Burns are the best players on the Panthers’ defense, and neither has reached 23 years old yet. Both players are on affordable rookie contracts for the next few years and would be any general manager’s dream defensive duo. The Texans should definitely say yes to this deal, but it would be too much to lose for the Panthers.
Most Realistic
Panthers get: Deshaun Watson.
Texans get: Teddy Bridgewater, Brian Burns, Dante Jackson, two first-round picks (2021 No. 8 overall, 2022) and two second-round picks (2021 No. 40 overall, 2022).
For a deal to satisfy both parties, you have to have some give and take. Do the Panthers want to lose Burns in their efforts to get Deshaun Watson? Absolutely not. Burns is proving to be one of the most unblockable edge rushers in the league.
After a ridiculously underused rookie campaign, Burns boomed in 2020 for nine sacks and 21 quarterback hits. He lived in the backfield, and his spin move is so hard to block. If the Texans are planning on losing J.J. Watt this offseason, bringing in Burns as part of the Watson deal would be a perfect replacement.
Burns is not Watt, but he has the potential to replicate Watt’s presence on the Texans’ defense. They also would gain Jackson, Bridgewater, and a slew of draft picks.
If the Panthers are all in on Watson as the face of Carolina’s franchise, this trade should be enough to get the deal done.
