Despite the legal proceedings against Deshaun Watson, there continues to be persistent speculation that a trade is still possible.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, “multiple executives” not involved in talks are hearing “mounting chatter” suggesting that the Houston Texans quarterback will be traded in the coming days. The Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins are believed to be the two finalists for Watson.
It’s worth noting that Jonathan Jones, a longtime Panthers writer now with CBS Sports, reported later Saturday that the Panthers are not currently involved in Watson talks.
The Panthers are not entertaining a trade for Deshaun Watson at this time, I'm told. Things could eventually change pending the outcomes of these 22 lawsuits against Watson, but for now Carolina isn't in on any potential trade.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) August 28, 2021
There were rumors earlier in the offseason linking Watson to the Eagles, which never came to pass. This could be another situation like that.
It’s tough to believe that any team would be eager to give the Texans a fair return for Watson given the quarterback’s current legal situation and the allegations against him. However, with it looking entirely possible that Watson will be available for all of 2021, someone might be too tempted to pass up the opportunity to get a franchise-caliber quarterback.
