The mystery is over
Watt tabs Arizona over Packers
“Houston, I wanted you to hear this directly from me...”
The tweet sent by J.J. Watt on Feb. 12 came attached with a video, in which Watt explained he and the Houston Texans had mutually agreed to part ways after he’d fashioned a Hall of
Fame career over the past decade.
The eyes of Green Bay Packers fans lit up. Sure, Watt — who grew up in Pewaukee and played at the University of Wisconsin as the first of three Watt brothers to follow the same path to the NFL — was 32 years old and no longer the dominant force who won a recordtying three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.
But he was still a playmaker, and one who would fit neatly on Green Bay’s roster should the Packers elect to bring Watt home.
“The way you guys have treated me, besides draft night, you guys booed me on draft night,” Watt said in the video, “every day after that you treated me like family. And I truly feel like you’re my family. Since that day, I have tried everything in my power to work and earn your respect and try to make you proud on and off the field.”
On Monday, Watt announced he was signing with the Arizona Cardinals, which notably wasn’t one of the teams that had been connected to Watt during his two-plus weeks of free agency. The Packers, of course, had been one of those mentioned teams,
but there were many red flags that suggested it wasn’t ever going to happen.
As it turned out, Watt agreed to a deal for much more money (a reported $31 million over two years) than the Packers could have offered in even the most optimistic of scenarios.
Tough salary cap fit
Journal Sentinel Packers reporter Tom Silverstein laid out clearly why he felt a Packers-Watt union was unlikely.
Silverstein pointed out that even if Watt was asking for $10 million, well south of the more than $17 million he was scheduled to make with Houston next year, the Packers would be better served using that money to re-sign running back Aaron Jones or center Corey Linsley, who still could wind up being salary-cap casualties.
“If you were choosing between Linsley and Watt, the choice would be Linsley,” Silverstein wrote. “You pick the guy that protects your MVP quarterback and helped keep the offensive line functioning at a high level through myriad injuries last year . ...
“But if they’re not going to re-sign (Linsley) because of the money, forget about signing Watt. Some teams may pay Watt in part because they covet his star power and dominance in the locker room, but the Packers don’t need any of that.”
While the Packers were constrained by the salary cap, a contender like the Cleveland Browns had more room to spend.
Meanwhile, it’s hard to ignore that Watt’s brothers (Derek and T.J.) both play in Pittsburgh, and though the Steelers had their own salary cap situation to sort out, it stood to reason that Watt would be motivated every bit to play in Pittsburgh as Green Bay.
Those stumbling blocks didn’t keep Packers fans from holding out hope. After all, Wisconsin is the state where Watt first made his name, starring at Pewaukee and then as an All-American with the Badgers who famously joined the program as a walk-on transfer from Central Michigan.
Cat and mouse
Though Watt never publicly announced a list of “finalists” or even visited any potential landing spots, it was believed that he was pursued by a dozen teams or more. Ian Rapoport was among those who felt Watt would come close to matching the salary he was expected to make in Houston, given the offers that were on the table.
Buffalo and Cleveland popped up as potential destinations alongside Green Bay and Pittsburgh, perhaps with Tennessee and Las Vegas. It was easy for Packers fans to find hope looking back at Watt’s 2019 comments about his childhood dream of playing in Lambeau Field. It was also easy to see his use of the expression “All gas, no brake” in an Instagram post with a picture of his Waukesha County workout facility as a nod to the Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur, whose use of the expression caught on during the 2019 season.
Watt, seemingly amused by the whirlwind of attention, had no problem dropping cryptic morsels for fans to ponder.
Still, the hard reality remained that Watt would have to take a massive pay cut, and Green Bay would have to be interested at a moderate price tag, for a hometown reunion to work.
But erasing Watt from the public consciousness wasn’t going to happen, and former ESPN reporter John Clayton mentioning Green Bay as a frontrunning destination did nothing to quell the flames.
But it was Arizona that paid up to get Watt’s services.
It doesn’t mean Packers fans won’t see Watt at least once this year. Green Bay is scheduled to face Arizona on the road in 2021.