Grading the Cardinals six biggest roster acquisitions in 2021
By Sion Fawkes
J.J. Watt – DE
In the regular season, the Cardinals leaped out to a 7-0 start with J.J. Watt in the lineup. Then they faltered to a 4-6 finish when Watt missed six games with a shoulder injury. They had him back for Super Wild Card Weekend, but by that point, the Cardinals were already deep into their monumental collapse that ended with an exclamation point.
Despite posting just one sack, Watt’s numbers were relatively solid in seven regular-season games. He posted 16 combined tackles and five tackles for a loss to go with 10 quarterback hits. Except for his lack of sack production, Watt showed he still had a high motor when healthy.
Should Watt Stay?
Absolutely. If the injury bug didn’t strike him (again) in 2021, he was on pace to finish the year with 39 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, and 24 quarterback hits before his injury. He’s worth keeping around for another season.
2021 Grade: B
While Watt’s sack numbers were underwhelming, he still performed well when healthy.