The Carolina Panthers could not get their guy. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, though.
According to Aaron Wilson at the Houston Chronicle, Carolina explored “extensive” trade scenarios for Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson before ultimately dealing for Sam Darnold of the Jets. Team owner David Tepper has been reported to be “obsessed” with landing Watson most of this offseason and he was part of the push to get him, per Wilson’s report.
“Panthers owner David Tepper and other high-ranking team officials were actively conducting their due diligence on Watson, according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publickly.”
Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now (we have only Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers ranked ahead of him at the moment), but he’s intent on forcing a trade from Houston. That situation has been complicated by Watson’s legal problems – he’s been accused of sexual misconduct by a series of massage therapists in 22 civil lawsuits.
Clearly, that wasn’t enough to scare Carolina off – or several other teams who remain interested if Watson ends up on the trade block.
Darnold is not in Watson’s league, but at the very least his ceiling should be higher than Teddy Bridgewater’s now that he’s in a much better situation than he was in with the Jets.
