Yes, the Saints are in the thick of the Deshaun Watson trade market, and the next few days could be key in deciding the landing spot for the Texans star.
The Saints and Panthers are among the teams expected to meet with Watson to discuss such a partnership in the coming days ahead of the official start of free agency this week, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Those meetings could end up being vital for whoever lands the 26-year-old QB, considering he holds a no-trade clause in his contract and would have the right to veto any deal if he did not approve of the destination. It was a similar scenario to that of which occurred with Russell Wilson, who was ultimately traded to the Denver Broncos last week.
But whomever does land the embattled star will likely have to pay steeply for it. The established price for Watson is reported to begin with three first-round draft picks, though it's unclear if that ransom will be paid in full, along with other pieces. One name that's been rumored as a potential inclusion is Saints star RT Ryan Ramczyk, though that'd likely be a difficult piece to pry away from New Orleans with LT Terron Armstead also hitting free agency this offseason.
But whatever the deal is, it'd likely have to include some big price tags to help pave way for the Saints to take on the remainder of Watson's 4-year, $156 contract signed back in 2020. Outgoing salary would be helpful in that regard, with the Saints handling multiple restructures to near cap compliance earlier in the week with several more they can execute to clear more room.
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Outside of any salary, compensation or logistical hurdles, a trade for Watson would raise questions surrounding sexual assault allegations. A grand jury opted not to indict Watson on those charges earlier this month, paving the way for a trade and potential return to an NFL field for the first time since 2020. But he still faces multiple civil court cases stemming from those allegations, and there remains potential for discipline by the league should they deem him to have violated the league's conduct policy.
The Saints have conducted extensive background checks on Watson, according to a report from NOLA.com, and team ownership has given clearance for the team to pursue a trade.
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The potential deal also leaves New Orleans a bit in limbo as free agency kicks off this week. Such a deal would significantly impact how they'll approach the marketplace, which already features one fewer quarterback with Mitch Trubisky reportedly agreeing to a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jameis Winston is also a free agent, and would be a top contender to sign to return as the starting quarterback should a Watson trade not materialize. Other names that would be on the table could be former Saints, Panthers and Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, or 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been a popular name on the trade market with San Francisco spending the No. 2 overall selection on Trey Lance a year ago.
Free agency officially begins at 3 p.m. (Central) on Wednesday, March 16.