Grading the Arizona Cardinals top free agent moves
By Sion Fawkes
Winning the J.J. Watt sweepstakes
The Cardinals were barely a blip in the NFL rumor mill after the Houston Texans granted Watt’s release. Watt later shocked the NFL world when he signed with the Red Birds on a 2-year deal.
Now, Watt will join a Cardinals defensive line that has proven to be dangerous when healthy. Further, the returning Chandler Jones, Markus Golden, and as of today’s writing, Dennis Gardeck, will benefit immensely from Watt’s presence.
In 2020, Watt proved he can still play, logging 5 sacks and making plenty of plays behind the line. Watt is also a locker room leader and he provides a strong, veteran presence along with Jones.
However, Watt comes with a risk. He’s only played in 16 games twice since 2015 and he has had a plethora of serious injuries throughout his career. Watt, at this point in his career, would fare best on a “pitch count.” However, for that to happen, the Cardinals must stay healthy on defense. Something they struggled with, in 2020.
Grade: B+: Many will give the Cardinals an A. And if Watt were either younger or less injury-prone, the Cardinals would have aced this one. However, Watt can be a double-edged sword. On one end, his production remains in the upper echelon of the NFL. On the other end, how many snaps can he realistically play given the injuries.