Piece by: Tyler Deakin
Wow, that’s surprising! That was my initial reaction to hearing the news that JJ Watt signed with the Arizona Cardinals on a 2-year, $31 million deal. I was convinced that he would land with either the Green Bay Packers or Buffalo Bills, and I hadn’t even heard the Cardinals mentioned as a possible landing spot for the 5-time Pro Bowler. This is probably the first big signing of the 2021 NFL Offseason; with plenty more moves being expected soon. Let’s break down what this move means for the Arizona Cardinals, the NFC West, & the NFL in general.
JJ Watt teams up with Chandler Jones to give the Cardinals a fierce pass rushing duo off the edges, with a combined 198 career sacks between the two players. Watt should certainly help the Arizona Cardinals playoff odds this year, as they were close to making the postseason last year with an 8-8 record. Their season centers around getting substantial contributions from JJ Watt & healthy returns from QB Kyler Murray & DE Chandler Jones. Murray was hampered by a shoulder injury suffered in Week 11, while Jones missed 11 games with a torn bicep. I believe the Cardinals will be in firm contention for an NFC Wild Card spot, but the question is will they be in contention for the NFC West division title? The NFC West with the Seahawks, Rams, & 49ers is probably the toughest division in football, but adding a star player like JJ Watt certainly betters their chances at winning the division.
What about the rest of the NFC West, how does this move affect the other teams in the division? Well, let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to play offensive tackle for any of the NFC West teams right about now. Watt joins a loaded pass rushing division featuring players like Chandler Jones, Aaron Donald (Rams), Leonard Floyd (Rams), & Nick Bosa (49ers). The fact that he will be teaming up with Jones gives the Cardinals a serious advantage against divisional foes. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson recently commented about his team’s offensive line, “I’m frustrated about getting hit too much.” Unfortunately, it doesn’t look playing football will get any easier for NFC West QBs anytime soon.
The JJ Watt signing by the Arizona Cardinals was the first major move of the 2021 NFL Offseason. This signing moves the needle a bit, and establishes the Cardinals as a viable contender in the NFC. It also makes us wonder, what’s next on the Arizona Cardinals offseason ‘To-Do’ list? Will they aggressively spend more money on upgrading the rest of their roster, or will they attempt to nail their draft picks? Additionally, this move creates a domino effect on teams like the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, & Cleveland Browns who were all in on the JJ Watt Sweepstakes. Now, all of those teams must adjust course & shift towards Plan B in acquiring new pass rushers.
JJ Watt is probably past his prime as a pass rusher at age 31; however, his impact on the Arizona Cardinals & the rest of the NFL is undeniable. He’s a proven commodity that can wreck opposing offensive lines. Working with teammate Chandler Jones means that neither player can consistently be double teamed, which will spell trouble for opposing offenses. This signing is a clear signal that the Cardinals are all-in for 2021. It’s refreshing to discover a new contender in the NFC that is willing to spend money & shake things up. NFL junkies anxiously await more offseason news coming out of the Arizona Cardinals camp.
Until then, we can dream of the Cardinals pass rushing duo tearing up opposing offensive lines this season.