Jump to content

  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

Honest Question: Why would Watson choose Carolina?

Billy Love

By Billy Love,
in Carolina Panthers

 Share

Recommended Posts

w280sax Proficient

w280sax

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, t96 said:

Yes they can, if the Texans have a team or teams offering more than others they can say waive for that/those team(s) or play for us or don't report and don't get paid at all.

No the Texans don't want to do that they want to get the return for him ASAP but if it's that much of a difference they can absolutely just sit on his rights, and he will most likely give in before they would.

I don't know how that would play out.  He showed up to not play all last year and got paid.  He's taking up over 30M on their cap this year as opposed to 10M or so last year (I don't know the exact numbers).  I'm certain they wouldn't take a real low ball when they have much better options based on his preference but otoh, they should be fairly motivated to make some deal. 

I'm guessing the Texans would be a lot more interested in pick #6 this year than #18 that New Orleans holds.  Of course, the Saints have 2nd and 3rd round picks this year to include.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Castavar Grand Master

Castavar

Posted
Posted
26 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

Who is going to block for him?

How is the defense going to stop anyone?

You do realize his last year playing the offense wasnt the problem with the Texans.  Their defense was poo.

1. Who blocked for Burrow?

2. Defense already can't stop anyone (couldn't even stop Kirk Cousins or Jalen Hurts).

And are we just going to ignore his previous two seasons before that year he went 10-6 and 11-5? You cannot compete in today's NFL without a franchise QB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rippadonn Grand Master

rippadonn

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, NAS said:

A lot of Clemson fans in the Carolinas?

The biggest difference is co-fanship. He's already got Clemson alum and extended fandom on lock. Clemson is down the road, so close that students often venture to Charlotte for nights out. Charlotte would literally be "home" for a Clemson alum.

For all the die hards claiming they're jumping off the Panthers bandwagon they'll have two to three Clemson fans buying a Watson jersey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
raleigh-panther Grand Master

raleigh-panther

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Billy Love said:

Without being sarcastic, and regardless of if you want or don’t want him here. Specifically from Deshaun’s perspective, Please discuss reasons why the Carolina Panthers would be a desirable landing spot.

His hometown isi Georgia. He attended Clemson. Charlotte could probably keep his happy ass out of trouble easier than New Orleans.  Probably family here 

as far as Rhule, he is imminently replaceable, more so than a franchise QB

  • Pie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
raleigh-panther Grand Master

raleigh-panther

Posted
Posted

From the Observer 

Panthers or Saints? What each team has to offer Deshaun Watson as a trade destination
 
BY ELLIS L. WILLIAMS
4 hours ago

Things are heating up in the Panthers’ pursuit of quarterback Deshaun Watson, but a familiar division rival is not making landing him any easier for Carolina. 

The Panthers and New Orleans Saints plan to meet with Watson this week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 

It will take at least three first-round picks, multiple middle-round selections and maybe a young player to land Watson. It’s believed Watson is in outstanding shape and ready to re-establish himself as a top-10 quarterback. Watson has not played in a game since the final week of the 2020 regular season. He led the league in passing yards that year.

Both teams are positioned to meet the Texans’ asking price. Watson is expected to meet with Carolina, New Orleans, and other teams before deciding to waive his no-trade clause. He’s looking for a winning situation with quality coaching, organizational alignment, a strong offensive line and a winning defense. 

Here is a breakdown of what teams interested in Watson have to offer him. 

Carolina Panthers 

Head coach and front office alignment: Coach Matt Rhule enters Year 3 on the hot seat. His 10-23 record over the past two seasons was identical to former Giants coach Joe Judge. There is reason to be concerned about how Watson perceives Carolina. 

Panthers owner David Tepper has not held a press conference since December 2020. His 15 months of silence have let doubt spread wildly about Rhule. A former league executive who spoke to The Observer suggested Carolina could offer Rhule a contract extension to show Watson that the Panthers are a stable organization with top-to-bottom alignment, from ownership to management and head coach. 

Rhule aside, the Panthers’ front office has come together nicely since Tepper named Scott Fitterer general manager last January. Fitterer is determined to keep offensive weapons DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey around for Watson. The Panthers are also confident receiver Robby Anderson will have a bounce-back year under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. The team remains high on their 2021 second-round pick, wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. 

 

 

Offensive line protection: Carolina is determined to fix its offensive line. As currently constructed, Watson would be in dangerplaying behind the 29th-ranked offensive line last season. The Panthers could add a blue-chip tackle with the No. 6 pick in the upcoming draft but that selection would likely head to Houston in a Watson trade. Carolina must prove to Watson it has a realistic plan to protect him. Without a first-round pick or much cap space, that will be difficult. 

Defensive playmakers: The Panthers feature several bright young defensive players but it’s expected that at least one of them would be a part of a Watson trade. Houston is seeking either one or a combination of Jeremy Chinn, Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn or Brian Burns. 

New Orleans Saints 

Head coach and front office alignment: The Saints had Sean Payton retire but much of their infrastructure — including head coach Dennis Allen, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and general manager Mickey Loomis remain. Loomis and the Saints front office have found talent outside the first round, highlighted by Pro Bowlers Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. Pairing Watson with those two playmakers would instantly make the Saints’ offense one of the NFC’s best. 

Offensive line protection: For years, the Saints put a quality offensive in front of Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, and that did not change after he retired. Last season, New Orleans finished seventh in ESPN’s pass-block win-rate metric. But New Orleans’ offensive line will look different next season. The Saints are expected to lose Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead in free agency. Then the Texans will likely want one of the team’s young offensive linemen in a Watson trade. Offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk and guard Cesar Ruiz are both quality starters on rookie deals that Houston could target. 

Defensive playmakers: New Orleans consistently has a top 10 defensive unit built around defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s aggressive and attacking scheme. With Allen taking over head coaching duties, the team promoted assistant coaches Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard to co-defensive coordinator. Nielsen and Richard will continue to oversee the Saints’ defensive line and secondary units, respectively, which will help New Orleans keep its continuity intact.

Cam Jordan, Marcus Davenport and Marshon Lattimore anchor a defense that would help Deshaun Watson not have to consistently win shootouts. With fewer turnovers and better quarterback play, the Saints probably would’ve made the playoffs last year. New Orleans checks all the boxes that Watson is looking for. 

Cleveland Browns

Head coach and front office alignment: The Cleveland Browns are also a team to watch. It’s believed Houston would prefer to trade Watson out of the AFC but the Browns can offer a multitude of picks and quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is viewed as a better asset than Sam Darnold. Cleveland also agreed to a trade for Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper, strengthening their case that they are only a quarterback away from a championship.

Kevin Stefanski won the 2020 NFL coach of the year and Andrew Berry is the youngest general manager in the league. After years of dysfunction, the Browns are finally one of the best-run teams in the NFL. They are eager to improve their quarterback situation and have ownership’s blessing to do so aggressively. 

Offensive line protection: Led by All-Pro guard Joel Bitino, the Browns have one of the best offensive lines in football. Cleveland finished in Football Outsiders’ DVOA rushing metric. Combined with Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb, Watson would be protected and supported by the Browns’ offensive line and rushing attack. 

Defensive playmakers: According to Football Outsiders, Cleveland’s defensive ranked 11th in DVOA. (DVOA measures a team’s efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent.) Defensive end Myles Garrett is among the best in the league while the Browns have invested in their secondary with cornerbacks Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome and safety John Johnson III. Much like New Orleans, turnovers put the Browns’ defense in poor positions last season. Mayfield threw 13 interceptions and fumbled six times in 2021.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • MechaZain
      2026 offensive tackle rankings

      By MechaZain · Posted

      Would be happy with Lomu or Iheanachor at 19. Fano is intriguing but I don't think he makes it.
    • MHS831
      Tony Pauline: Panthers will strongly consider Kenyon Sadiq if he’s there @19

      By MHS831 · Posted

      II see it this way: We have to look at long-term needs and current depth.  We have filled some key spots with players on one-year contracts.  I firmly believe that they intend to pay Bryce some big bucks next year.  That means you cannot hope that your rookies in 2027 can fill the spots vacated by the veterans you could not afford to re-sign.   We need to consider the cap and the fact that the need to start a rookie is not viewed as a positive by coaches and general managers, but they value first contracts--so it is a delicate balance. I think they have to look at the cap by position--"Can we afford a $50m QB and a $100m OL?  That is half the cap, before you pay your WRs and RBs and TEs.  They need to start getting younger on the OL as well.   I am not suggesting that we draft OT in round 1, but we could and I would get it.  RT on a 1-year deal, they may have intel about Ickey (who was not the best LT, to be honest) and 32-year old Moton is on a bad wheel.   Now if you go by Morgan's history, you can almost tell what position we are going to address with the first pick by noting the positions he has not focused on in free agency.  DT, considering the lack of performance by those not named Derrick Brown and the loss of Robinson, is screaming to be addressed with a top player.  Wharton is not an early down DT (DE if you want to get technical) and our LBs need to be clean--they were not in 2025.  Look for a DT early. I also think we will address ILB (pass covering Will) on day 2.  The other day 2 pick will be an OT, in my view. Do not rule out CB.  We are thin there too, and Jackson is in his final year.  I am not sure that we love Smith-Wade.  Some crackhead on here talked about moving him to S----stay tuned.   Hopefully, a team wanting Ty Simpson will move up and offer us a pick or two to move back. DT WILB OT OC QB  (you heard it here 337th--but this pick could come sooner than you think.      
    • TD alt
      Chad Reuter of NFL.com 4-round mock draft

      By TD alt · Posted

      Bryce had some bad games, but he had some good ones as well (and this is coming from a Bryce skeptic). I think it's a little simplistic to put all the offensive woes on Bryce, you also should be looking at O-line play, receiver play, RB and TE play, and also coaching. There's no way when I look at the offense in it's totality am I ready to say that a so-so to bad offense was all on Bryce, and, I also can't say that we don't need to upgrade any position on offense, save Tetairoa McMillan (who also wasn't perfect) and maybe the starting guards and T-mo.
×
×
  • Create New...