One critical move the Carolina Panthers must make this offseason

The start of the 2022 NFL season is right around the corner, and the experts over at CBS Sports have already comprised a list of moves the Carolina Panthers should make. There are a few moves that make sense for the Panthers to do and one of them is believed to be a critical must if they want to become competitive in the future.

Carolina started off the 2021 season with a blazing, going 3-0 to start the season. Afterward, the Panthers could barely stay competitive for the rest of the season, winning just two of their next 14 games. They finished the year off in last place of the NFC South with a 5-12. And if they do not want a constant repeat of these results, the Panthers should prepare for a change at head coach.

“Identify a coach in waiting or at least get some back-channeling going early, because this Matt Rhule experiment has an expiration date around Thanksgiving. Resist the urge to trade for Deshaun Watson without full and complete closure on his legal status,” wrote Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

According to La Canfora, not only should the Panthers prepare for a split with Rhule, but they would be wise to hang onto their assets and not trade for disgruntled Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. And depending on what the Texans do, a team that is vying for the services of Watson may not have to trade for him at all.

Texans maybe be forced to do the unthinkable to Watson

Whether they like it or not, the Houston Texans may be forced to move disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson quicker than they’d like. Watson sat out the entirety of the 2021-2022 season while dealing with his current legal trouble. But before then, the former Clemson Tiger informed the Texans that he would like a trade and he will not play for them again.

Houston spent much of last season fishing Watson for the best possible trade package. However, as the NFL trade deadline came and went, they ended up not moving him, and he remains on their roster. But with the start of a new NFL season comes the salary for the season. And Watson, it’s scheduled to make a handsome amount regardless of whether he plays or not for the Texans.

“ Deshaun Watson’s $35M 2022 base salary was fully guaranteed when he signed his deal in 2020. His $20M 2023 base salary & $17.5M 5th day of 2023 league year roster bonus are fully guaranteed on March 20 (5th day of 2022 league year). Both were guaranteed for injury at signing,” wrote Joel Corry, contracts and salary expert, and writer for CBS Sports.

With that amount of money due to a player who is hell-bent on not playing for the franchise ever again, it would be best for the Texans to move off of him as quickly as possible. And if they are unable to do that, the next likely step is the nuclear option, and they release him before it is time to write the checks.