Watson or Not, the Panthers Have Options

It’s not a secret that the Carolina Panthers need to be fixed.

They’ve needed a competent offensive line for eons. The Sam Darnonld/ Cam Newton revolving door experiment didn’t work, and they need stability at quarterback.

Lucky for the Panthers, they have options at their disposal. Not only are they one of the few teams that can land Deshaun Watson, they have the sixth overall pick in the draft as well. According to Sporttrac, they also have an estimated cap space of $30.3 million.

It’s no secret that the Panthers are “all-in” on Watson. A contingent visited Watson in Houston Monday and conducted their own investigation before that. Despite the reservations of many within the fan base, the Panthers see Watson for what he is on the field and that is:

• An established quarterback that’s played (and thrived statistically) on one of the worst rosters in the league.

• An efficient and skilled, pro bowl caliber quarterback still in his prime.

If they land Watson, the Panthers could possibly move up some places in the draft for a quality o-lineman. If not, the Panthers could use that sixth pick on Malik Willis.

The Panthers need a quarterback and the options of signing Watson or drafting Willis have their own risks and gambles. They can go all in on Watson, a pro-bowl caliber player with off field allegations, or build through the draft with an unproven, athletic quarterback with potential in Willis.

Let’s say they get Watson. Since he’s missed a year due to the allegations, we don’t know what version of Watson to expect on the field. It could be the dynamic player that he was in Houston or he could struggle in a new offense.

If they draft Willis, how would he fare in a run-heavy offense?

Regardless of quarterback, the Panthers must address their long standing offensive line concerns. What’s ideal could be drafting another lineman if they land Watson. If they can’t, Carolina could sign another free agent and stay at six to draft Willis. OR, the Panthers could roll with what they got in Darnold, solidify the line and focus on improving other areas of the roster.

The choice is theirs, but what do you think the should do?