t96

It really just depends, there is a fine line where the risk outweighs the potential reward. He's an elite talent at the most important position in the league on one hand, on the other hand he could theoretically never play another down in this league and wind up behind bars. Ideally if we're trading for him all the picks would be conditional based on his availability and all of our top tier young players would be off limits (Burns, Brown, DJ, Chinn, Horn, McC, etc.) So, I'm not adamantly against trading for Watson, I just don't want to give up the farm for him, like the Texans seem to be asking for. Just too much uncertainty and risk involved. It seems to make sense for all parties to wait out the legal process and wait for his situation to be much more certain. But I guess there are a lot of impatient people all around.

Yes but everything already spent is just a sunk cost at this point. It was a bad deal, we already know that. IF we were to trade for Watson and take on his cap hit, then it'll be worth that additional pick to get rid of Darnold so we have cap space to keep guys like Donte, Reddick, DJ, Burns, Gilmore, etc. It sucks but it's the situation we're in and we can only look at moves to make now, can't change what we already gave up and can't undo the 5th year option...

If we attached a 4th or 3rd for sure. Would be buying a mid round pick just for $18M in cap space 1 year. For a team not close to competing with plenty of cap space that is a massive win for them. We saw it with Brock Osweiler, it took a 2nd attached to him to get rid of his contract but his contract had guaranteed money for like 3-4 years, Darnold is just 1 year and cheaper.

Jeremy himself said this was coming from someone close to Tepper

It wouldn't be a risk for the other team, they'd just be buying a draft pick from us.

I've seen some confusion about this in various threads here. With the new 5th year option rules making that 5th year 100% guaranteed (used to be guaranteed for injury only), many think we're stuck with that no matter what (i.e. we trade for Watson, we have to carry both of them and the big cap hits). This is NOT true. We can't save a dime by releasing Darnold, but if we trade him after this season we are on the hook for absolutely nothing. No dead cap at all. Yes with that cap hit and the way he's playing, he's a liability, so we may have to attach a mid round pick to him to get a bad team flush with cap space to take him on, but we can absolutely get out of the deal after this year by trading him. Worth clarifying, and note I'm not trying to defend the trade or picking up the 5th option -- in hindsight both were clearly just flat out bad moves. But that 5th year option just isn't quite as crippling as many think.

I believe if we trade him the new team is responsible for that cap hit. With how he's played though, may have to attach a mid rounder just to get another team to take him on for a year.

I wouldn't agree to it, but players on that list are getting paid their full contract to not play... Not necessarily the worst thing in the world. Free money, literally.

That "something" we're getting has a significant chance of winding up behind bars... 2 1sts AND higher profile players, that's a fat no from me dawg. 2 1sts and Robby maybe if they take Sam I'd consider. But our 1st next year looking like it might be pretty damn high. Watson would help but the back half of the schedule is brutal, I'm not sure he'd even be enough to save this season. Could wind up being a top 10 pick even with Watson here.

Gonna need quite a bit when we can't afford to pay Burns, Donte, Reddick, etc. Damn near allowed 600 yards to the Vikings...

I’m fine with risk, but not when crippling the ability to build the rest of the roster by trading 3 1st rounders AND roster players, as is the reported asking price. Good luck building the OL and the rest of the D...

I can just tell as it's written in Carolina Panthers DNA that we'll trade for him and plan to play him and the NFL will immediately put him on the Commissioner's Exempt List.

Panthers and Dolphins only ones in the mix. And Peter King reported Monday that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross "is not pushing his football people to deal for Watson right now." https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/8073/deshaun-watson

I agree with you, I think our roster is pretty solid except QB and OL (obviously huge holes on offense but still). My point was only in response to those defending Rhule due to the roster. Hence the quotes around suck in my other post.

Rhule has final say on the roster. If our players "suck" then Rhule is to blame for it as much as Fitt/Hurney/whoever else.

I really can't believe how good Ish and Cody were in that 4th quarter. LaMelo didn't even need to enter, and honestly great coaching from JB to keep those guys in while they were hot and taking care of business. I'm sure he was ready to call a timeout and get the big boys back in if there were any slip ups but his trust in Ish and Cody continued to payoff right up to the end of the game. Love our coach and GM, Jordan finally got it right with Kup and JB

Yep Canes are a true contender Hornets should definitely be a playoff team at least, could maybe even get a top 4 seed and make some noise early in the playoffs, though I don't think we quite have the star power/depth to truly contend this season (especially the glaring hole at C). In the next few years I could see it but not quite this season. I'll gladly take playoffs though and how fun this team is to watch.

Loving this team so damn much. Miles and LaMelo are such frigging studs. Hayward has been mostly invisible (which is rare when he's healthy) and we're still taking it to one of the favorites to win it all in their house.

There is literally zero chance Rhule doesn't start next season here. We could lose out and he won't get fired.

I don't really follow college ball all that much so thanks for sharing that view. Furthers my point that I think he's a great football coach.

Jim Harbaugh. I know he's been a disaster in college but his NFL results speak for themselves. Hate the guy but he's a hell of an NFL coach.

When one of the most level headed posters here is saying this you know things are bad for this team... Completely agree LP

Who ever said "PJ earned his job?"

We have way more holes on offense than QB, absolutely. But Darnold also clearly is not the answer.

LOL you told us Cam was going to destroy us in our meeting with the Pats! Dude's not even in the league.