Player Prowl: Would Panthers actually take Texans QB Deshaun Watson?

Welcome back to our weekly player pillaging for the Carolina Panthers, where we hypothetically snatch up a player from the upcoming opposition at will.

This time, we’ll have to decide between a slam dunk of a player who isn’t a slam dunk of a pick and being boring by taking a left tackle for the third straight week. Oh joy!

Well, if there weren’t almost two dozen active civil lawsuits against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, we’d have ourselves an open-and-shut case here. But since his cases are anything but close to being resolved, he’s an extremely questionable character himself, let alone a questionable investment for a football team.

And that’s how the rest of the NFL currently sees Watson, as everyone has jumped out of the pool on any previous or potential pursuits of him. Even these very Panthers have backed off despite being hellbent on tracking down a franchise quarterback this offseason.

That’ll be a matter, which is unfortunate for so many involved, reserved for judgment in another realm at another time.

So, we’d rather be boring than reckless and ignorant. Laremy Tunsil, come on down!

(Nice call, by the way, Chinn Chinn a.k.a. @KKBR98 . . if that is your real name.)

every week gonna be the opponent LT, last week Becton, next week Tunsil …

— CHINN CHINN (@KKBR98) September 15, 2021

Anyway, Tunsil, like Mekhi Becton and Terron Armstead before him in this series, could give the Panthers a long-term solution to what’s been a long-lasting issue for the franchise.

The 6-foot-5, 313-pounder has proved to be one of the league’s best blindside protectors, in nearly each of his six NFL seasons. He’s particularly kicked his game into high gear with Houston, earning Pro Football Focus grades of 75.4, 75.8 and 74.5 in his last three campaigns while with the Texans.

His latest outing from Week 2, in fact, has earned some notable praise. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger broke down Tunsil’s matchup against Cleveland Browns stud pass rusher Myles Garrett and gave him a rave review in the “no-hitter” performance.

Do you think we got it right?