Panthers have improved their chances of landing Deshaun Watson in a trade
The Panthers were in a tough situation.
The NFL’s legal tampering period began at noon Monday, and they had yet to reach an agreement with a free agent by Friday afternoon.
All Carolina could do was watch.
The Panthers are still waiting to see if they can trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has a $35 million cap number for 2022. The limbo with Watson threatened to limit them from signing some of the starting-caliber players in free agency.
But that changed Monday evening when the Panthers reached their first agreement with a free agent, safety Xavier Woods.
The Panthers got a quality deal, agreeing to a three-year, $15.75 million contract. Woods finished with 108 tackles and three interceptions in 2021 for the Vikings. He would have led Carolina in both stats.
They then reached an agreement with offensive guard Austin Corbett, according to a source with knowledge of the agreement. His deal is reportedly three years, $29.5 million. Corbett started every game for the Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams. He allowed only three sacks in 17 games and committed two penalties.
That the Panthers were able to reach agreements with Woods and Corbett, two talented players that address important needs, was a success.
Both are upgrades from the players Carolina had starting in those positions a season ago. Guards Michael Jordan and John Miller struggled to keep pass rushers away from the quarterbacks, and safety Juston Burris failed to stay healthy.
Jordan may still start depending on where Brady Christensen plays, whether that is at left tackle or guard. He had some good games early but also struggled. There is a belief that he could have success with a full offseason.
The Corbett signing also makes things in Charlotte more attractive for Watson.
The Panthers were careful in their approach to free agency. With a potential Watson deal on the horizon, they couldn’t make big deals early in the day.
A deal for Watson was expected to happen as early as Monday, and as late as two weeks from now. But the earlier the better.
Carolina still has a number of needs it needs to address in free agency, including a starting offensive guard, a middle linebacker, and a cornerback — especially if Stephon Gilmore and Donte Jackson leave for other teams.
Earlier in the day, a number of the top guards in free agency signed with other teams.
▪ Former 49ers’ offensive guard Laken Tomlinson reportedly agreed on a three-year, $40 million deal with the Jets.
▪ Former Bucs’ guard Alex Cappa reportedly agreed to a four-year, $40 million deal with the Bengals.
▪ Former Titans’ guard Rodger Safold agreed to a deal with the Buffalo Bills, according to the team.
▪ Former Commanders guard Brandon Scherff reportedly agreed to a deal with the Jaguars.
The Panthers were aware that they may miss out on some of those targets. They had about $37.5 million in salary-cap space after cutting cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive end Morgan Fox on Monday. About half of that is set aside for draft picks and in-season moves.
The Panthers likely won’t make any more big moves until they know more from Watson.
There are some in the organization who believe securing a franchise quarterback should be the top priority, and that they cannot win without one. And the Panthers believe they have a chance to solve it. Their primary focus has been on securing Watson, who will likely cost at least three first-round draft picks and more.
Carolina has been interested in the 26-year-old Texans’ quarterback for a year after he made it clear he wanted to be traded. But 22 civil cases and 10 criminal complaints, in which he was accused of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, put that to a halt.
The Texans were unable to trade him, and most teams, including Carolina, were hesitant in taking a chance until his legal troubles were solved.
Last week, a grand jury in Harris County, Texas declined to indict Watson, which was enough for teams to pursue him again. The Panthers were among them, and were preparing a trade for weeks.
Losing him to another team — whether that’s the Saints, Browns or Seahawks — would be devastating.
But if the Panthers can secure Watson, which would require him waiving his no-trade clause, they believe the wait will be worth it.
This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Panthers have improved their chances of landing Deshaun Watson in a trade."
