Panthers reportedly could ‘jump in soon’ for Texans QB Deshaun Watson

The Carolina Panthers are running out of petals on their flower for Deshaun Watson.

We want him, we want him not. We want him, we want him not.

Well, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, they may want him (again). He reported on Sunday morning that the Panthers could try to re-enter themselves in the sweepstakes for the troubled Houston Texans quarterback.

“In football news, the Miami Dolphins remain the favorite to land Deshaun Watson if the Houston Texans trade the quarterback before the Nov. 2 deadline, according to league sources. But some league executives also tell the Daily News that the Carolina Panthers could jump in soon to try and outbid Miami,” Leonard writes.

“Not everyone believes Carolina would pull the trigger, but the Panthers were hot on Watson’s trail in the spring before the rampant sexual harassment and assault allegations hit. And now there is noise that they could take one more run at him.”

This report falls into opposition of head coach Matt Rhule’s comments earlier in the week. When asked of Watson’s availability at the upcoming trade deadline, Rhule dismissed any notion that he was focused on any other quarterback than his own, Sam Darnold.

But he may have just been playing the part of a good company man.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also threw the Panthers’ name out there today in his most recent update on Watson. As he notes, though, his ongoing litigation makes the entire situation a murky one.

Rhule, owner David Tepper and general manager Scott Fitterer will have about a week to decide if this’ll be a path worth venturing down.

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