UPDATE: Charles Robinson reported later on Saturday the Dolphins emerged as the favorite. Robinson heard that the Texans are looking for 3 first-round picks and 2 second-round picks.
A Deshaun Watson trade could happen as early as next week, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. He reported late Saturday morning that there had been discussions among leaders across the league that the besieged Houston Texans strategist could be treated in the next few days with the Carolina Panthers and Miami dolphins being the two finalists reported to land his services.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported later that Carolina is not looking for a job for Watson at the moment.
A potential trade would signal the end of a tumultuous offseason for Watson and the Texas organization as a whole. The three times Pro Bowl QB expressed his displeasure with the franchise early in the offseason and requested an exchange in january. But this controversy quickly faded into the background in the spring, with Watson being accused of sexual assault and harassment by 22 women.
The Panthers and Dolphins currently have starting quarterbacks in place at Sam Darnold and Tua Tagovailoa, respectively. Given Watson’s legal issues and the potential to be sidelined for the season, it’s unclear how soon a team would trade for him.