The Carolina Panthers had been aggressive in pursuing a Deshaun Watson trade since last year, but they were informed this week that they are no longer in the running for the star quarterback. We now have a better idea of why Watson crossed them off his list.
Watson signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Houston Texans prior to the 2020 season. The deal runs through 2025, but there is a potential out after the 2023 season. The dead cap hit in Watson’s contract drops to just $5.4 million at that point, according to Spotrac. That means Watson’s team could release him after the 2023 season with little penalty.
According to ESPN’s David Newton, Watson wanted the Panthers to guarantee the third and fourth years of his contract. They were unwilling to do that, which is one of the main reasons Watson took them out of the running.
When the Panthers wouldn't guarantee those years, Watson's reps called Thursday night to inform Carolina no longer was under consideration, per league source. https://t.co/pVcAX5cGYB
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) March 18, 2022
Watson, who has a full no-trade clause, is now deciding between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. It would stand to reason that both of those teams are willing to guarantee him more money with a contract restructure. Nothing has been made official, but a tweet from a star player on Thursday made it seem like Watson is leaning a certain way.
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
