Since J.J. Watt was released by the Houston Texans last Friday the rumor mill and opinion pages have been giving their thoughts to various landing spots for the star defensive end. Two teams that have caught some attention for Watt playing for them are the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys.
The two teams are in very different situations when looking at their performances from the 2020 season. If J.J. Watt were to join the Cleveland Browns he’d be joining a team that won a Wild Card playoff game, and a defense that is very tough to beat, especially if he were to join them.
If Watt were to join the Dallas Cowboys, he’d be joining a team that battled injuries in 2020, under performed on both sides of the football field, and were poor on defense. Watt would get to stay in Texas if he signed with the Cowboys, but they aren’t much closer to playing in a Super Bowl — and have quarterback issues of their own — than the Texans did when Watt asked for his release.
Let’s start with the Browns and J.J. Watt as a duo. This actually makes a lot of sense for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
If Watt were to join the Browns defense, it is an upgrade over to what he’s used to playing for with the Texans last season, and he wouldn’t be the main focal point because of Myles Garrett would be on the opposite side of him on defense.
They both can’t be hit with a double team at the same time because of the remaining cast on the Cleveland defense, and if they were nine other defensive players would really have a chance to make a big play.
Cleveland.com Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot said there were two things that could draw J.J. Watt to the Browns, as this was in a recent article:
"“The two biggest things? Money and a potential Super Bowl. What’s more, they have a strong supporting cast and a positive environment. Check, check, check, and check.”"
Those would be excellent details the Browns could use to bring in Watt, and he would work well with the Browns, and fans of Cleveland would welcome him with open arms to the “Dawg Pound.”
J.J. Watt has always been a main focal point by the opposing offense, but in Cleveland he would be focal point No. 2, which would work great for Watt in what will be his 11th season in the NFL. Cleveland would be smart to add him to their already talented defense that could do more damage if 100-percent healthy and with Watt on their side.
J.J. Watt and the Dallas Cowboys … Are the a fit together?
It doesn’t seem too likely the Dallas Cowboys would or even could afford to sign J.J. Watt, plus there is the reason that the Cowboys aren’t set up to win a Super Bowl as we speak. As stated before, the Cowboys need to get things right at quarterback, and if the re-sign Dak Prescott to a multi-year deal, it will take a lot of salary cap space the Cowboys have left to keep their franchise quarterback.
In a mailbag article at DallasCowboys.com the following was said after a question was sent in about Watt possibly joining the Cowboys this offseason, as David Helman of DallasCowboys.com had this response:
"“Watt likely wants to win a championship and will have his pick among some of the best teams in the league. I’m going to guess he winds up on a team that’s a little bit closer to winning a Super Bowl than this one – like Tampa Bay or Green Bay.”"
Whomever J.J. Watt selects to play for next season, he’s going to do so for the chance to have a real shot at winning a Super Bowl for the first time in his career. That most likely isn’t with the Cowboys.
It will be strange to see J.J. Watt in a different uniform in 2021, but it happens to many legendary players. In recent memory a change in uniform has brought “Super Bowl Success,” just ask the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. When they joined new teams things worked out pretty well for them.