The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, rivals in the South Division of the National Conference, will meet Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in the next 48 hours, a source told Adam ESPN Network’s Schetter.
Watson would be a big improvement for both teams. The Panthers haven’t committed to making Sam Darnold, who went 4-7 in 2021, their starter for the 2022 season, even though they’re tied to him for around $18.9 million due to his fifth-year option.
The Saints are still trying to find a long-term replacement for Drew Brees, who retired after the 2020 season. They used four quarterbacks last season: Jameis Winston (5-2 before his anterior cruciate ligament tear), Taysom Hill (4-1), Trevor Siemian (0-4) and Ian Book (0-1).
Only Hill and Book are still under contract.
Several other teams are reportedly interested in the services of Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl invitee, who sat out last season as he faced 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints for sexual assault and inappropriate conduct.
The number of teams interested in Watson increased on Friday when a Houston grand jury decided not to indict Watson on the criminal charges, leaving only the civil suits with charges of sexual assault and improper conduct during the massage sessions against the former Clemson University star player.
Other teams reportedly showing interest include the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.
Houston can accept a trade at any time, but it could not be formalized until the start of the league’s new year on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
