When the Arizona Cardinals signed defensive end J.J. Watt to a two-year contract in the offseason, it was a surprise for a number of reasons. Many simply didn’t think that the Cardinals were in the mix. Others felt the contract was surprisingly large for a player they feel is in decline.
However, general manager Steve Keim still sees the dominant player he has always been.
According to Pro Football Focus’ Ben Linsey in an article for ESPN, Watt is the Cardinals’ X-factor for the coming season.
Any discussion about J.J. Watt’s decline has been overblown. He’s certainly not the same game-wrecker that brought home three Defensive Player of the Year trophies in four years from 2012 to 2015, but Watt has still been one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL for Houston over the past three seasons. He ranked third in PFF’s wins above replacement metric at the edge defender position in 2020, behind only T.J. Watt and Khalil Mack. Watt should have an impact both on the interior and edge for the Cardinals in 2021.
If Watt is healthy all season and dominant, he probably is not the 20-sack player he was, but he can give the Cardinals double-digit sacks. His pressure will come from the edge and the interior, complementing Chandler Jones and Jordan Phillips.
Watt playing at a high level gives the Cardinals a potentially dominant front. If they dominate, the secondary will thrive. And that could lead to the Cardinals defense being a top unit in the league.
Watt is probably the one player on defense whose performance can be game-changing. If he is dominant and the rest of the unit is relatively healthy, watch out for this Arizona defense.
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