All offseason, we have heard the noise surrounding star DE J.J. Watt and possible teams he would sign with. We have heard the Bills, the Browns, the Steelers, the Packers, and more. The one team we did not hear was the Arizona Cardinals, the team that Watt has decided to sign with, making his decision via Twitter. It is a signing that nobody saw coming but might be a better move than you would think. Let us look at the details of the deal, why it makes sense, but also why it does not.

Contract Details

Even though being a part of a winning team was a top priority for Watt, another priority was getting paid and that is exactly what he got. Watt has agreed to a two-year/$31M deal with $23M guaranteed, giving him an annual salary of over $15M per year. While he is still good, he is not what he once was, so to be able to draw that type of money is remarkable on Watt’s end, cashing in on his success for a second big contract. 

Why It Makes Sense

While nobody brought up the Cardinals being a viable option for Watt, the deal makes sense for both the player and the team. Arizona is coming off a disappointing season, finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs. Despite this, the future is still bright in Arizona, led by QB Kyler Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Because of the bright future, the Cardinals can afford to take a risk and go for it this year, figuring they were that close to making the playoffs before eventually falling out. Watt will also not have all the pressure on him, as star pass rusher Chandler Jones will be lined up on the other side drawing a lot of the attention. The reason why this deal is not as risky is that it is only for two years, so you are not locked into his contract for an extended period of time. It is crazy how the Cardinals were not even mentioned in the talks by analysts and reporters, yet they are still a tremendous fit if the Cardinals play it right.

Too Big of a Risk?

Throughout this whole process, as said before, Arizona was not a team that many people regarded as a favorite for Watt, and that comes with some reasoning. Yes, the future does look bright, but Arizona is still a young team with a coach that has not proven he can win yet. Signing Watt puts a tremendous amount of pressure on Arizona to make the playoffs not only this year, but next year as well while dealing with the loaded NFC West. A failure to make the playoffs this year will likely cost Kingsbury his job, causing a massive change in the locker room, something Watt has seen time and time again with Houston and likely does not want to see again. Watt wanted to sign with a contender, but Arizona has not proved that yet. If Arizona does not make the playoffs or at least have a winning record, this was a waste of a deal and will likely cost numerous people their jobs and cause the Cardinals to start over yet again.

Info from profootballreference.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas

So far this offseason, any talk regarding J.J. Watt has been over where his next home will be in 2021, as he requested his release from the Houston Texans on February 12th. And even though Watt has aged and broken down near the end of his Houston tenure, it shouldn’t discount what he was able to achieve during his time in Steel Blue & Battle Red. But now, the question arises as to whether or not everything Watt’s done up to this point is enough to make the case for his Hall of Fame consideration, even if he never wins a ring with whatever team he signs with next. The answer is a resounding yes, and here are a few reasons why.

Generational Talent

The most obvious part of making it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is that you must have been consistently great. Mediocracy has no place in this conversation, and Watt is far from that. In ten seasons with Houston, Watt has led the league in sacks twice (2012 & 2015, both 20+), tackles for loss three times (2012, 2014, & 2015), earned 5 First-Team All-Pro and 5 Pro Bowl nods and took home three defensive player of the year awards (2012, 2014, & 2015), something only Lawrence Taylor and Aaron Donald have ever done. Overall, Watt racked up 101 sacks, 531 total tackles, 43 total turnovers, and three defensive touchdowns, as well as three receiving touchdowns in 2015. And that’s just on the on-field production. Off of it, Watt has been a pillar of Houston’s community, winning the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2017 after raising over $37 million to help the city recover from Hurricane Harvey. And while the injuries he’s piled on over the years forced him to miss 32 out of 160 games, Watt is still considered as one of the best players of his generation, which can by no means be discounted.

Positional Success

The idea that Watt will not get into the Hall of Fame because he does not have a ring is not only outweighed by his true talent and body of work, but also by the position he plays. The only position on the field that factors winning into your body of work when discussed for the Hall of Fame is the quarterback position.  There have been numerous players over the years that have made the Hall of Fame without a ring, and these guys arguably were not as good as Watt. On the other hand, quarterbacks such as Tony Romo, Philip Rivers, and Matt Ryan might be penalized for never winning the big game, even if their numbers suggest that they are deserving to be enshrined in Canton. If Watt was a quarterback, this would be a different story, but the fact that he is a defensive end cancels out the need to win in the playoffs in order to validate his entrance into Canton.

He Is Not Done Yet

While the Hall of Fame talk has already started for Watt, there is an argument to be made that he still has plenty left in the tank. Watt is still only 31-years-old, and is about to put himself in a good position to succeed, wherever he decides to sign. Regardless, a couple more good seasons would be just icing on the cake, all but locking in his spot for the Hall, while also silencing his doubters, if there are any. Watt is going to be a significant addition to whoever signs him, and they should expect his addition to their roster to bolster their pursuit for a Super Bowl ring, giving Watt his ultimate goal.

Info from profootballreference.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas

Last week, the inevitable came true. Longtime Houston Texan DE J.J. Watt parted ways with the organization after requesting a release from the team. After ten seasons, Watt is now a free agent and will have the opportunity to sign with any team of his choice. He has not labeled any certain teams but has been adamant about joining a Super Bowl contender. Let us look at a few teams that might be interested in signing the 3x defensive player of the year.

Pittsburgh Steelers

A family reunion? As soon as Watt was released from Houston, there was buzz that he would join his two brothers in Pittsburgh to play for the Steelers. Watt would be joining an already elite defense, playing the opposite side of his brother T.J. while Derek is the team’s fullback. While it would be a great story, it might not make much sense for Watt to join them. The Steelers have an aging quarterback, making their window to win a Super Bowl slimmer than most. Also, they have a lot of impending free agents, so the landscape of the team can look much different come Week 1. While it would be a cool story, I would not consider the Steelers to be frontrunners for J.J. Watt.

Cleveland Browns

Another AFC North team that has been brought up is the Cleveland Browns, which would be an excellent fit for Watt. Cleveland has a rather young defense with a bunch of veterans coming off the books, including DE Olivier Vernon. Cleveland also has an offense already set, two defensive starters coming back from injury, and a ton of cap space right now. All this after winning a playoff game in 2020. Watt would bring a veteran presence along with his immense talent off the edge rushing the passer. I would not be surprised if GM Andrew Berry overpaid for Watt, especially after offering DE Jadeveon Clowney the most money just one year ago.

Tennessee Titans 

While it is not the perfect fit, the Tennessee Titans are dying for any type of pass rush, making Watt a no-brainer for an option. Tennessee has become one of the more consistently good teams in the AFC over the past couple of seasons but struggled mightily to get to the quarterback in 2020. After DE Jadeveon Clowney got injured, nobody really stepped up to get pressure on the quarterback all season, resulting in a below-average defense. There is a true possibility that the Titans sign Watt and Clowney, who signed a one-year deal in 2020, giving them two reliable pass rushers to support their defense. At this point, any type of pass rusher would be great for the Tennessee Titans.

Green Bay Packers

On this list, the lone NFC representative for J.J. Watt is the Green Bay Packers. Like the Steelers, the window to win the Super Bowl is closing fast since QB Aaron Rodgers is only getting older and some of their key players are closing in on free agency. The only difference is that the Packers were one game away from the Super Bowl, while the Steelers got blown out in their first playoff game. For Watt to join Green Bay, the Packers would most likely be moving on from RB Aaron Jones and/or C Corey Linsley, two key players to their offense. Plus, they have Z’Darius Smith, Rashan Gary, and Preston Smith rushing the passer already, so Watt would most likely move inside with Green Bay. While a good fit, Watt might think differently and look elsewhere just based on numbers alone.

Buffalo Bills

Out of all five teams, the team that is the perfect fit for Watt is the Buffalo Bills. The Bills, who are coming off an AFC Championship appearance after dominating the regular season, are going to be serious Super Bowl contenders without Watt. Now, imagine adding Watt to complement their dominant secondary and potent offense. The Bills pass rush is not terrible but adding Watt would give them a premier pass rusher that teams must key in on. From a money standpoint, the Bills might have their hands tied if they give QB Josh Allen a mega-deal, but that has not happened yet so as of right now, they have money to spend and have a wide-open window to win the Super Bowl. If I am J.J. Watt, I am picking the Buffalo Bills.

Info from profootballreference.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas