Panthers willing to trade Christian McCaffrey for Deshaun Watson?

The Carolina Panthers remain in hot pursuit of Deshaun Watson, and might be willing to go to substantial lengths to entice the Houston Texans to make a deal.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the Panthers have made acquiring Watson a priority ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. Carolina is so eager to acquire the quarterback that it has reportedly offered running back Christian McCaffrey and three high draft picks to the Texans. Houston continues to hold out for three first-round selections, however, and would prefer younger, less expensive pieces than McCaffrey.

It wasn’t long ago that McCaffrey was seen as one of the most valuable offensive pieces in the NFL, and he’s still only 25. After McCaffrey played three games last year, combined with another IR stint in 2021, Carolina might be ready to cut bait. He’s also headed into the first year of a contract extension that will make him the highest-paid running back in the sport.

In his last healthy season, McCaffrey tallied a league-best 2,392 yards from scrimmage. If the Panthers are really offering him up for Watson, it demonstrates how seriously they are about acquiring the quarterback. They might have to convince Watson to join them first, though.