Report: 5 teams have strongest interest in Deshaun Watson trade

Deshaun Watson’s legal situation was resolved Friday, meaning trade talks are expected to intensify in the days to come. There remain some conflicting rumors regarding which teams the Houston Texans will be hearing from, but a new report suggests five are seriously in the running.

The Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, and Pittsburgh Steelers were the five teams that have been most closely tracking developments with Watson, according to Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.

The teams I’ve been told that have been interested in Deshaun Watson for a while — and/or were closely monitoring today’s grand jury outcome:

▪️CAR
▪️NO
▪️CLE
▪️SEA
▪️PIT

PHI had expressed interest, but seems to have cooled of late. https://t.co/28CqiuHyAZ

— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) March 12, 2022

Some of these teams are probably longer shots than others. The Steelers, for instance, may be looking but unlikely to pursue a deal. The Browns and Saints also have alternate plans at quarterback and may just be looking into Watson’s trade value.

The Panthers and Seahawks seem to be the teams to watch. Carolina’s interest is long-standing, while Seattle may be the favorite after trading Russell Wilson.

Watson could still be suspended, and he still faces multiple civil suits. However, those will be of lesser concern to NFL teams than a criminal case would have been.

Photo: Aug 17, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) before a game against the Detroit Lions at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports