Pray for Deshaun Watson. Last season, the former Clemson and current Texans quarterback took more sacks than any other QB in the NFL with 62. Watson may hang onto the ball too long at times, but a lot of those were the result of poor pass protection.
It sounds like more of the same will be coming for Watson in 2019. Houston head coach Bill O’Brien has named former Panthers offensive tackle Matt Kalil his team’s starting left tackle, per Pro Football Talk.
Kalil signed a massive five-year contract with Carolina before the 2017 season and it will go down as one of the worst in franchise history.
That year, Kalil started all 16 games for the Panthers at left tackle and wound up being the lowest graded player for Carolina’s offense by Pro Football Focus for the season. Last year, Kalil suffered a knee injury in training camp and missed the entire season.
General manager Marty Hurney released Kalil this spring but the team will still be feeling the effects of that disastrous deal for a while. Kalil will cost them $14.7 million in dead money.
The Panthers will visit Kalil and the Texans Week 4 this season.
In other former Panthers-related news, running back Elijah Hood has signed with the Jaguars. He’s a Charlotte native who was released last month. Leonard Fournette and Alfred Blue are projected to be their top two running backs. Hood will have to compete for a roster spot with the likes of Thomas Rawls and the rookie Ryquell Armstead.
