Just over one month ago, Deshaun Watson’s trade demands were the talk of the offseason. Today, legal issues with the Texans’ quarterback has his immediate future in question for a whole different reason.
The former Clemson quarterback has been sued by 22 women who have accused Watson of sexual misconduct. The police, as well as the NFL, are also investigating the legitimacy of the claims.
With all of the controversy surrounding Watson at the moment, the demand for the superstar quarterback has all but dried up. The Texans are sure to want a king’s ransom for their franchise quarterback, but it’s hard to imagine any team meeting those demands with Watson’s immediate future in question.
The Carolina Panthers were at one time thought to be one of the major players for the services of Watson. The team recently traded for Sam Darnold to address their immediate needs at the position, but NFL Insider Peter King says the acquisition of Darnold does not mean the Panthers are no longer interested in still trading for Watson at some point.
“I think it’s possible that the Panthers could still be in the Deshaun Watson derby, when/if his legal troubles go away,” King wrote on Monday. “But I don’t think the Panthers are willing to do what Houston would want, and that is to find a partner to make a Herschel Walker trade.”
However, King also noted that the Panthers would be content sticking with Darnold for the time-being if the Watson saga were to continue for an extended period of time, which is looking more likely by the day.
“It’s more likely that Carolina sticks with Darnold for the next two years to see if he can become the quarterback the Jets drafted him to be in 2018—a good downfield thrower to match with Robbie Anderson and D.J. Moore. At USC, Darnold did show a good deep arm (8.5 yards per attempt), but the combination of a terrible offensive line, lousy receivers and his own poor decision-making led to a disastrous three-year run. A trade was best for all parties.”
