Open this newsletter ONLY if you want to know what’s going on with the Panthers
Respectfully, March 17, hurry the heck up.
And if some form of real-life time acceleration isn’t created within the next three weeks for the new league year to begin, perhaps the Houston Texans could go ahead say they’re open to trading Deshaun Watson?
Enough speculation. Let’s make a move.
It has been seven weeks since reports first surfaced that Watson, the former Clemson quarterback, was unhappy in Houston. Everyone knows by now he wants to be traded. It seems more like a matter of if, rather than when, Houston will allow for that possibility, though there are no guarantees. Should he and his four-year, $156 million contract become available for trade, all but a handful of teams across the NFL have reason to be interested, with the Panthers being one of the most notable (especially for you Panthers Tracks newsletter subscribers).
But should the Panthers give up just about everything of value they have to make way for the 25-year-old quarterback, or should they focus on building pieces around the quarterback first? That’s what columnist Scott Fowler and beat reporter Alaina Getzenberg debated.
Point: Panthers have to do everything to trade for Deshaun Watson, no matter the cost
Fowler, who has covered the Panthers for all 26 years, says it’s ABSOLUTELY worth giving up Christian McCaffrey and first-round draft picks (with an “S”) to land Watson.
Counterpoint: Panthers are in no place to mortgage their future on Deshaun Watson
Getzenberg has the more level-headed take, saying the Panthers need an offensive line first before they think about signing an expensive franchise quarterback. Multiple starters up front are scheduled to become free agents come March 17.
In non-Deshaun Watson news (which we promise does still matter) ...
Jerry Richardson, the former Carolina Panthers owner, made a record donation to his alma mater.
National NFL draft experts think the Panthers will take a quarterback, but which one?
The Panthers released some veterans to clear up salary cap space.
Speaking of NFL free agency, we have you covered with our running story tracking every free agent move Carolina makes. Alaina also analyzed the Panthers’ running back situation behind McCaffrey with Mike Davis set to become a free agent. Mark Ingram? Maybe?
If you’re more interested in the draft than free agency ...
The Panthers desperately need help on the offensive line. Jonathan Alexander talked to draft analysts to find some realistic names to look out for in the draft.
We also scouted six defensive linemen who’d be worth taking in Day 2 of the draft.
The case for and against the Panthers drafting Alabama’s Mac Jones in the first round. (This story will be available at 7 a.m. Friday)
Panthers Tracks Podcast
We like to pump Panthers news straight into your ear holes. We even bought nicer microphones to make our voices more pleasant to listen to as we break down the latest in NFL news as it related to Carolina.
On this week’s episode (Episode 16), Jonathan and Alaina detail what to make of the Panthers clearing up $25 million in salary-cap space. You can listen to (or watch) the episode here, or subscribe for free on your favorite podcast platform.
Extra reading
OK, it’s not a Panthers story exactly, but did you know that Charlotte FC — owned by Carolina Panthers team owner David Tepper — will have the most expensive entry-level season ticket seat when the team begins play in 2022? Fans are not happy, especially when you compare what it costs to go to a game in Atlanta, so we did a deep dive into the matter, gathering ticket data from 26 other MLS teams to put Charlotte’s situation into context.
