ESPN has released their predictions for who will start at quarterback for all 32 NFL teams in 2021. In the case of the Carolina Panthers they picked Deshaun Watson.
Here’s what Field Yates had to say about ESPN’s Watson-to-Carolina prediction.
“I’ve been on record forecasting Watson to Miami, but recently my tenor has changed with more support from the Dolphins for Tua Tagovailoa and the Panthers’ previous aggressive pursuit of Matthew Stafford. . . Houston has no interest in trading him away right now, but we know this has already been ugly. If you ultimately trade away a franchise quarterback, moving him to a team you play once every four years is preferred to an in-conference foe (assuming the offers are comparable).”
We love it, but it’s still a long-shot scenario. For one thing, Watson is still a member of the Houston Texans and as Yates mentioned, they’re insisting he’s not available.
That said, it’s clear the Panthers are ready to go all in to upgrade at quarterback. Their interest in every veteran QB who might be on the trade block is enough proof of that. Watson is by far the best of them and there’s no other starter in the league we’d rather have right now aside from Patrick Mahomes.
Any trade for Watson would come at a steep price, of course. Recently, a “bold prediction” from ESPN’s David Newton went viral for all the wrong reasons. His suggestion was Carolina could trade three first-round picks plus running back Christian McCaffrey for Watson.
Some fans will balk at that idea, but the truth is it might take even more to get Houston to budge – especially considering what other teams like the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets can offer by comparison.
If team owner David Tepper is truly determined to get Watson and Watson is truly determined not to play another game for the Texans, then eventually this organization might just make them an offer they can’t refuse.
