The Panthers remain in pursuit of Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, no matter how much the Texans say publicly that Watson will remain in Houston.
Joe Person of TheAthletic.com reports that the Panthers are still locked on Watson, viewing him as the single player who can do the most to turn the franchise into a Super Bowl contender.
Trading for Watson is referred to as “Plan A, B and C” for the Panthers.
Although the Texans say Watson is their franchise quarterback and will remain their franchise quarterback, Watson wants to be traded and may refuse to report to work if the Texans hold onto him. At some point, the Texans may be willing to listen if a team is willing to blow them away with a trade offer.
The Panthers’ offer would probably include their first-round draft pick this year (No. 8 overall) as well as their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. (By NFL rule, teams can’t trade picks more than three drafts in advance.) Even that may not be enough to get the Texans to make the trade, but the Panthers may keep upping their offers until the Texans are willing to listen.