There may have been some wheelin’, but there certainly was no dealin’ for the Carolina Panthers at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. But, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, that doesn’t mean the team has backed off a potential deal for the guy they’ve seemingly always wanted.
Wilson, reporting from Indianapolis this weekend, noted that the Panthers are still interested in Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson—even despite the remaining lack of clarity in his legal troubles. He also adds that the Philadelphia Eagles—who were previously keeping tabs on Watson—were pretty much literally keeping tabs on Watson, having sent their own investigator to gauge the three-time Pro Bowler’s situation.
“The Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers remain interested in Watson, per league sources,” Wilson writes. “Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman previously conducted significant due diligence on Watson before last season, even sending an investigator to Houston to look into the legal situation and contacting Rusty Hardin, Watson’s attorney, per sources.”
Carolina’s persistence on Watson shouldn’t, obviously, come as much of a surprise. The franchise has entered desperation mode, particularly in their exhausting search for a worthwhile quarterback, coming off two straight five-win campaigns.
But, in another unchanged detail of this longstanding pursuit, Watson is still quite a ways out from resolving the 22 civil lawsuits that’ve alleged him of sexual misconduct and sexual assault.
“I have no idea,” new Texans head coach Lovie Smith said of Watson’s status. “And the good part about it is time kind of takes care of everything. I just know Deshaun is an excellent football player. Excellent football players need to be playing somewhere in the NFL. Hopefully, that will happen, and if it’s not with us, it’s somewhere else. And I’m sure as I see in this situation, both of us eventually are going to benefit from the situation, and I just can’t wait for that to speed up a little bit.”
