Report: Panthers Are Hot For Deshaun Watson
March 11th, 2022
“How long are you coaching, Bruce?”
Imagine what the 2022 Bucs would look like if they traded, say, two first-round draft picks, a second-rounder and Antoine Winfield, Jr., for DeShaun Watson and absorbed the creepy quarterback’s $35 million salary cap hit.
And that might be what it takes to land Watson, per a new report in the Charlotte Observer.
In that scenario, Tampa Bay might not be able to re-sign more than a couple of key free agents (Alex Cappa, Jordan Whitehead and Aaron Stinnie?), and then they’d have no premium draft picks this year with which to reload.
Then throw in that Watson might be suspended by the NFL for a handful of games for being a sleazy massage client.
Per the report, the Carolina Panthers are hot on Watson’s trail again and would have to surrender at least three first-round picks, another draft pick, and at least one young stud defensive player to get him.
Maybe the price tag isn’t actually that high, but again Joe will come back to what the Bucs might look like if they dealt a couple of first-rounders, a second-rounder and Winfield for the big-game, big-money quarterback? It feels like it would be a very rough first year as the Bucs try to recover from losing two Pro Bowl offensive linemen, their best two running backs, a Hall of Fame tight end and, well, the greatest quarterback ever, all while Chris Godwin tries to make it back in October.
If Tom Brady’s ceiling was 13 wins in an MVP-level season, then what is Watson’s on a 2022 Bucs team minus all those stud players, a wounded Godwin and a weakened defense — in his first year in a new offense?
March 11th, 2022 at 6:54 am
two steps forward….one step back? I think the only way we pull off that trade is in coordination with Brady to San Fran…before we make the move for Watson. If we make the move for Watson first, then we have no leverage with San Fran. If we can get a few picks back from San Fran, maybe in the 2nd/3rd rds…..hopefully get a few compensatory picks for losing so many players to free agency, all is not doom and gloom.
Strategically….i think our best move is to sign as many of our offensive guys as we can and see what Trask can do. Maybe sign Trubisky and/or Minshew…..bring back Gabbert.
March 11th, 2022 at 6:59 am
Kill the Watson infatuation!.. Good job you guys aren’t building a franchise. Sell the future for pure TROUBLE?!
March 11th, 2022 at 7:17 am
I would trade for him, so I didn’t have to play him twice a year for the next ten years.
March 11th, 2022 at 7:27 am
TB has plenty of relief for DeShaun Watson on Del Mabry
March 11th, 2022 at 7:29 am
@Bruce stop worrying about the future , you could die tomorrow & not see those picks… whose to say those picks will amount to anything, picks are simply future stocks , thank GOD Darcie wants to win
GoBucs!
March 11th, 2022 at 7:38 am
I don’t have to write anything, the picture says it all. Poor poor Bucs, ditch BA.
FREE BRADY! FREE BRADY! FREE BRADY!
March 11th, 2022 at 7:51 am
Hopefully in 5-10 years if the Bucs are able to land an all pro qb, we will be seeing them compete for the playoffs again. Hooray.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:04 am
I don’t want Watson, but I sure don’t want the Panthers to get him….
March 11th, 2022 at 8:06 am
Talk about whiplash. The previous article made the argument that getting a QB of Watson’s quality would set the Bucs up for a future SB run. The current article suggests that the ransom paid for Watson would doom the team to poor performance for the foreseeable future. I guess it’s the two Joe’s in dueling commentary.
Watson is a slug. A super football player, but a slug. I don’t know why we just can’t except that this year is going to be a Trask or Gabbert-led football team. I prefer Trask simply because we have no idea of what he might bring to the team.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:13 am
If he is found innocent of what he is being accused of, send the Texans 2 first round picks and Devin White. Go sign Jordan Hicks who was just released from the Cardinals and ride with Watson. Didn’t the Joes have an infatuation with a Watson in the past in a certain Bucs uniform? New Watson for the Joe’s to be giddy about.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:15 am
2022 Space Odyssey
March 11th, 2022 at 8:18 am
Our picks are going to be Gold the way this looks. 1st overall for a few years.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:21 am
Trading for that, “Ma’am, happy ending please” would cost so many draft picks it would absolutely crater any mock draft fun for years! “And for Tampa Bay’s only draft pick this year, they select in the fifth round Irish kicker Pat McCrotch from Notre Dame!”
Yeah, no.
Give Trask a shot.
And please, deal Brady to the 49ers for a king’s ransom at the last minute, including Trey Lance.
Then surprise the sh-tt out of people and win it app because hey, our coaches DO NOT SUCK!
Screw prison-bound Watson. So stupid to even consider him at this point.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:30 am
Who cares let Carolina deal with that drama. Giving up our safety is not an option to me or the draft picks especially with his contract. How competitive are we really gonna be. I’d prefer drafting a quarterback every year until we find one to Watson. This is the issue that happens when you can’t draft quarterbacks. Desperation is not a good look
March 11th, 2022 at 8:36 am
The issue for Carolina is Watson has a no-trade clause….ultimately he controls who he’s willing to go to and I dont think he’s interested in Ruhle.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:51 am
Watson has a no trade clause and already said no to the Panthers last year. I think we go with Trask and see what he can do only has a 1.2 million dollar cap hit. Sign some QBs to back him up and if he doesn’t have it then draft his replacement next year. However, BA will want to swing for the fences as he will probably retire next year.
March 11th, 2022 at 8:54 am
What about Heinecke? That kid is a gamer. Almost ended our Super Bowl season.
March 11th, 2022 at 9:11 am
They can have him. I hope they end up giving three first rounders…fools!
March 11th, 2022 at 9:14 am
Watson refused to waive his no-trade clause for the Panthers last year, why would he do it this year? Especially since Rhule is on the hot seat.
March 11th, 2022 at 9:19 am
Do the panthers still have those partying cheerleaders? Watson is a perfect fit for Charlotte.
March 11th, 2022 at 9:23 am
Better them than us.
March 11th, 2022 at 9:24 am
Buc92’ Says:
March 11th, 2022 at 7:29 am
@Bruce stop worrying about the future , you could die tomorrow & not see those picks…..
__________
Sorry, but you’re wrong about Comrade Blahak’s mortality.
He will outlive us all due to the fact that he’s received 7 doses of C-19 vax and dutifully wears 3 masks at all times…… except for when he’s smelling his own farts.
March 11th, 2022 at 9:27 am
i have no time for brainless insurrectionists…
March 11th, 2022 at 9:30 am
Yet you read and responded.
Brilliant
March 11th, 2022 at 9:53 am
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
Aww, hell to the No…
March 11th, 2022 at 9:53 am
LOL @ Doosh…
March 11th, 2022 at 10:34 am
It would be hard to give up all that for Watson. I know Watson is younger, but why the Broncos gave up for Wilson wasn’t too crazy. With Watson you still have no idea if he’ll be available play if you trade for him. He could end up in prison for a sentence no one knows, plus NFL suspension. I know Joe calls BS on people picketing the Bucs if they get em, but it could be a very big black eye for Arians if he oks it. But I agree, shouldn’t cause too big of a deal. Even if he’s ok’d to play this year, and gets suspended for 4 games, Arians offense takes at least a year to pick up…. So he could be a train wreck all year until he learns it. Plus the thing no one talks about…… he’s been off for a year. Has he done anything to ensure he staying ready to play or is he just sitting around losing his abilities.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:35 am
Three First, Shaq and Donovan and the Tampa could get cap space to sign a 40,000,000 cap hit
March 11th, 2022 at 10:41 am
Tampa has no cap space until June 2, or they trade players including Brady now, or they rework Chris now, and Shaq and Donovan. Watson cost 40,000,000 and you don’t re do his deal before he plays a single snap and sits a suspension.
Brady must be traded this week to dump his cap, should’ve been done before FA
March 11th, 2022 at 10:42 am
Davis, Jessen Whitehead Chris could’ve been kept if Brady was ask the day he retired where do you want to trade your rights, as we don’t want to have your cap hit, and we will offshore it the team you want so we can pay FA
March 11th, 2022 at 10:45 am
Three first, Judon, and Will Sherman and New England could get the cap space to sign a 40,000,000 cap hit.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:47 am
Multiple cap websites spotrac over the cap say his hit is 40,000,000 in 2022 for this year of his contract not 34,000,000
See spotrac.com/nfl/ under 2022 NFL Watson cap hit
March 11th, 2022 at 10:48 am
Let someone else give away all that capital. We need to replace aging DL, fill out the RBs and TEs, add to OL, boost the CBs… and giving away draft picks isn’t the way to do it. Watson would not make us a SB contender this year. And we can’t afford that contract. Giving away all the picks and carving out room for Watson’s contract will leave us in worse shape overall.
Roll with Trask, draft well, find a few good FAs, and we could be in contention again in 2023 if Trask works out.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:48 am
Exactly Chris it a bad trade
March 11th, 2022 at 10:48 am
Patriots should of traded Brady instead of letting the greatest football player in the history of the game leave and become a Buccaneer without receiving any compensation. The Patriots were to stupid to do that. Brady proved that the New England Patriots are a joke of a franchise without the goat.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:57 am
I’m just trying to share the reality of the situation for Tampa, as I truly believe like Bucs92 this trade has been presetup for weeks as JBF been repeatedly trying to get fan base warmed up to him as the QB. And I think after the Grand Jury situation he will be traded this weekend.
I am disgusted by the guy, but he is a top 5 QB after all the retirements. So I think it is why Tampa will still bring him in, as the desire to remain relevant supecedes the bad PR and the media heads have altered this take on him basically parroting “he will play” and that if not criminal nothing occurred type take.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:58 am
I rather give up Shaq Barrett than Winfield. Hope Barrett haven’t mailed it in after getting a big contract.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:58 am
NE was stupid, or more Bill was, for forcing out Tom and not getting the weapons he needed after 2018 to win. Bills ego wouldn’t let
It happen and now NE is like the 8th best team in the AFC, and they don’t have a SB caliber QB
March 11th, 2022 at 11:11 am
Oddly the only team in NFL where Watson massage girl accusations would fit in is NE because RKK seems to be a long time user of the massage services, but he seemed to prefer the seedy strip mall young Chinese/Thai masseuses.
Whereas Deshaun focused on certified practitioners he found on IG.
So many NE trades McJones and a first to Houston for Watson haha
March 11th, 2022 at 11:43 am
Red86 Says:
March 11th, 2022 at 10:58 am
I rather give up Shaq Barrett than Winfield. Hope Barrett haven’t mailed it in after getting a big contract.
_________________________
2020 on the franchise tag: 8 sacks, 2 FF
2021 after signing a big contract: 10 sacks, 3 FF
March 11th, 2022 at 1:17 pm
I go along with Deshaun Watson
March 11th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
Every person on here that says we should watch the Panthers trade for him and not pursue him ourselves is delusional. We CAN’T win without a great QB! We have proved that over and over.
March 11th, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Bring him to Tampa!!!