J.J. Watt signs with Arizona Cardinals

On March 1st, it was announced that DE J.J. Watt will be playing football with the Arizona Cardinals next season. Watt signed a 2-year deal worth $31 million dollars, as $23 million is guaranteed. The 5-time Pro Bowler announced the signing himself, posting to social media, “Source: Me.”

Watt played 10 seasons with the Houston Texans, recording remarkable accomplishments. He is a 3-time defensive player of the year, winning the award in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Watt is also a part of the 100 sack club, recording 101 sacks for his career. Watt was frustrated after a long stretch of working to become a playoff team, the Texans released him on February 12th.

It came as a major surprise for the Texans’ best player to request to be a free agent. Watt now goes to the Arizona Cardinals, where Kyler Murray leads the offense over at Quarterback, and top receiver De’Andre Hopkins helps to lead the scoring. Watt joins a well-rounded defense where he will look to help protect Kyler Murray by locking down the defense for the Cardinals.

Watt has worn #99 his whole career in Houston. Arizona had #99 retired, honoring former player Marshall Goldberg. It was announced that Goldberg’s daughter, Ellen, has given Watt permission to wear #99. Goldberg played football in the 1930s-40s.

As for the Texans, they look to be in a difficult position for the offseason. After releasing J.J. Watt, the team is also rumored to be potentially trading QB Deshaun Watson. After the Texans lost De’Andre Hopkins to the Cardinals, it has been quite the struggle to put together the offense that they had so dreamt of. Watson has been linked and rumored to multiple teams, but how does J.J. Watt’s signing have an effect on where Watson will end up playing?

It will be exciting to watch more of the 2021 NFL Offseason happen as we will get news to follow more of what is to come. As more players are rumored to be going to play for different teams, it seems that J.J. Watt is more than ecstatic to begin the season in a brand new uniform. The Arizona Cardinals will look to improve offensively and defensively, and with the 16th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the pick could really be beneficial to how the team will end up performing this season.