Panthers Keeping a Close Eye on Deshaun Watson
According to The Athletic’s Joseph Person, the Carolina Panthers are among a few teams reportedly monitoring the status of quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson’s status remains unclear, as a grand jury is set to hear the case against him on Friday. That hasn’t stopped teams from lining up in pursuit of the Houston Texans’ quarterback, with many more squads than just Carolina showing interest:
The Panthers, as @josephperson reported yesterday, are indeed keeping a close watch on Deshaun Watson. The Seahawks and Bucs are among those keeping tabs, too. There's nothing for any team to do right now but wait for Friday's grand jury and see what comes of it.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 9, 2022
Carolina isn’t the only team with a need at quarterback keeping a close watch on Watson’s status. The Seattle Seahawks traded away Russell Wilson on Tuesday, and it’s unclear if Drew Lock is their preferred option at the position. The Tampa Bay Buccanneers have a void at the position with the retirement of Tom Brady.
Watson will be an immediate boost to all three offenses if he indeed ends up moving. Panthers’ receiver D.J. Moore, Seahawks wideouts DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and the plethora of pass-catching talent in Tampa Bay would all receive a significant boost in fantasy value with an upgrade at the quarterback position.
NFL Futures Odds
The Panthers are listed at +2600 to win the NFC and +5500 to win Super Bowl LVII, per the FanDuel Sportsbook , although landing Watson would surely shorten those odds.
The Seahawks are massive underdogs after trading Wilson, listed at +4400 to win the NFC and +8000 for the Super Bowl.
Tampa Bay sits at +1400 to capture to NFC Championship and +2800 for the Super Bowl.
