4 contract decisions that will pay off for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023
- Budda Baker will be a star on defense
- The Cardinals did the right thing with J.J. Watt's contract
- It needed to be done with DeAndre Hopkins
J.J. Watt
Current status: Retired - extra void year added to stretch out cap hit
On a different side of the spectrum regarding contracts, the Cardinals made a great decision in adding an extra year to the newly retired J.J. Watt's contract. This allows them to stretch out his cap hit and free up more money as they work through all the changes the 2023 season will bring.
It's a move that didn't need to be done and in some cases, may not have happened because the player doesn't reap any benefits from extending the contract. But this shows you how much of a real team player Watt is.
His willingness to make such a move happen is an acknowledgment of where the team is currently, the importance of where they are headed, and how beneficial that extra money can be.