JJ Watt signs with Cardinals so you can stop asking

The former Wisconsin Badger is reportedly signing a two year deal with Arizona. 

From Schefter: 

And from the man himself:

We now return to our regularly scheduled offseason.

 

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__________________________

4 points
 

Comments (62)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Lphill's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:05 pm

Amazing , the Packers could have had him and made his dream come true, no worries we will build a defense from un drafted players and get smacked around in the playoffs.

-10 points
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flackcatcher's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:27 pm

Yeah, it's tough to be in the Superbowl hunt every year... (Cap Man will get the Cardinals too. Cap Man wins. Cap Man always wins)

5 points
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Lphill's picture

March 01, 2021 at 04:12 pm

So the hunt is good enough for you ? Every team is in the hunt but some do what it takes to win it all.

-6 points
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13TimeChamps's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:37 pm

I thought you had inside info that he would sign with GB for less money.

Obviously his "dream" was to make as much money as possible while teams were willing to accommodate him. So sorry that's too difficult for you to grasp.

6 points
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Turophile's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:41 pm

@Lphill
$31m over two years and you still wanted him ? That would mean (just for starters) no Davante Adams extended after this year.

If you don't consider the money side of things, you might as well believe in the tooth fairy.

8 points
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Lphill's picture

March 01, 2021 at 04:14 pm

Do we know if the Packers made any offer at all ? also would our defense be better with him ?

-3 points
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Lphill's picture

March 01, 2021 at 04:14 pm

Do we know if the Packers made any offer at all ? also would our defense be better with him ?

-2 points
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fastmoving's picture

March 01, 2021 at 05:22 pm

Hahahahahahah...the brainwashed who thought JJ would play for the vet minimum was even wronger than usuall. Must be really hard to live without education and science on flaterath.
Thanks god we did not get Watt, thats a pretty bad deal for ARZ. Way too much money. He will get around 3-5 Million for a sack. Thats more than the Orange looooses in 5 minutes,

And dont use "we" if you talk about the PACK. You are not WE, just like the weak, godless, unamerican deplorables are not "the people".

Proud of Gute and MM and all the people in charge for the best organisation in the history of the universe. Or however guys like Lyphill and his kind would say.....

-12 points
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Lphill's picture

March 01, 2021 at 07:15 pm

What are you even talking about ?

4 points
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Gman1976's picture

March 01, 2021 at 11:00 pm

Watt went for the money, not the ring.

3 points
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Gman1976's picture

March 01, 2021 at 11:05 pm

Watt went for the money, not the ring.

1 points
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TarynsEyes's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:06 pm

But, but, he said he wanted to win an SB. I guess another FA doesn't have faith in GB to win, or at least not enough to give a nice discount for the chance. So much for that hometown guy bs.

9 points
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Fabio's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:16 pm

Hi Taryns. I always gladly follow your comments and observations. What do you think Green Bay has to do (FA acquisitions, releases, extensions and draft picks) to be competitive for a possible SB?
GPG

0 points
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Grimm's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:33 pm

"I guess another FA doesn't have faith in GB to win, or at least not enough to give a nice discount for the chance."

I disagree, and I am sure you were being sarcastic.

Its always about the money!

Unless you have several deals that are nearly the same. Then you might pick a favorite. Its hard to take $20 an hour when someone offers you $50 an hour. Cardinals over paid in my opinion.

12 points
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TarynsEyes's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:20 pm

Many here placed their 'optimism' in the hope he would. Yes, money is always the winner, and why GB had to overpay for both Smith boys. Why else would they come to GB. No FA pounds the door to play for GB, even while having Rodgers.

I guarantee Watts' press conference has him saying he feels Arizona gives him the best chance to win an SB. He'll say Murray is at the doorstep, even though Rodgers had the Packers at the actual doorstep the last two seasons. He got the money he wanted and now the bs flows.

10 points
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jeremyjjbrown's picture

March 01, 2021 at 11:36 pm

I will be shocked if JJ lives up to this deal. But the Cardinals have a QB on a 1st deal so they can pay it.

3 points
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ShawnO's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:57 pm

What made you actually think he was going to accept a hometown discount?

1 points
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TarynsEyes's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:11 pm

I didn't, but many here did or had that 'optimism' he would,

1 points
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ShawnO's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:16 pm

Even if he did take a bit of a home town discount I feel as though the Packers would have had to push so much money down the road just to get close to signing him that they would have screwed themselves on extending Adams and Alexander next year.

3 points
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Fabio's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:11 pm

I will not cry. I have great respect for his history and for what he has done as a player, but I think we need another type of player (to help ClarK). And I don't think he ever really intended to go back to Green Bay (unless we did the economic madness that did Arizona)
Greetings from Italy

6 points
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flackcatcher's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:21 pm

Source, me. Love that, thumbing the Sports Media/Agent Complex and getting his deal in a down Cap year. Just shows there is always one owner willing to go 'there'. Could he be Reggie White for the Cardinals. As a team, they're not that far from being in the superbowl hunt. Still, it would have been nice to have him in Green and Gold. Dreams die hard...

1 points
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splitpea1's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:24 pm

A useless fantasy to begin with; we weren't going to shell out $31 million for two years. Draft and develop makes more sense now--just make sure you do both of them right.

4 points
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Fubared's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:01 pm

I agree this price was terribly steep but I would pay that for a guy who gets you to the super bowl versus paying half to develop a King who just costs you one.
Getting guys who were developed by someone else is the real answer.

-3 points
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marpag1's picture

March 02, 2021 at 01:27 am

"Getting guys who were developed by someone else is the real answer."

This is soooooo so wrong. It's completely the opposite of true.

Drafting studs who will play four or five years on a cheap rookie contract is the real answer.

6 points
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Dragon5's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:40 pm

Enemy year (OX) for this GOAT franchise strikes again! Felt this would be the case despite the homer in me pulling for JJ to return home.

Reality is, the letdown really stems from Ted passing on TJ for Kevin King. Can't look back in anger, or can we? Given what has now transpired on the defensive end, this may mirror tightwad Ted's failure to pair Favre with Moss & Lynch in '07.

-5 points
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Fubared's picture

March 01, 2021 at 12:58 pm

So much for some people thinking home town discount this guy wants to be a packer. He went for da mooney and got it. Wow they paid him a ton of money, no way the Pack could ever match that, no way.
Again, the Rodgers contract is an abatros around the necks of this team and preventing us from getting experienced players to help out.

-3 points
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PeteK's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:45 pm

"Since at an uncertain hour, your agony returns: And till your ghastly tale is told, This heart within me burns"

0 points
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canadapacker's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:05 pm

Good - its done - lets get on with it - at least it didnt drag on too long.

2 points
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barutanseijin's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:06 pm

Good. He was too expensive and missed too many games. I wish him luck in Arizona.

8 points
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PeteK's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:28 pm

I hope he gets his ass kicked, they're in our conference.

1 points
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Packers0808's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:30 pm

Too old and really worth the change dished out to him at this stage of his career! Why not pick warm Arizona over Wisconsin? I never expected him to wear the Green in the first place to be honest!

4 points
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greenandgoldguy's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:42 pm

Good, he's getting up there in age, has missed a lot of games and not the same player he once was. It's not like he's 25 26. We don't need him, we need another stud CB, better defensive players

2 points
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stockholder's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:44 pm

Blame Gute. Not Watt. The packers are running on Candle power. Not Electricity this year. Expect the same billing, just less of a flame. When your hot your hot. When your not your not.

-2 points
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Swisch's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:45 pm

At some point I wonder how many millions of dollars any one person needs.
If he really wanted to play for the Packers, then he would have made it happen; if he doesn't really want to play for the Packers all that much, it's better for us that he move on.
J. J. Watt had the opportunity to be a legend in Wisconsin that would have payed off in so many ways monetarily and beyond.
Now it seems he's just another mercenary.

0 points
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5
4thandinches's picture

March 01, 2021 at 04:18 pm

I think it's very easy for us fans to say the athletes are greedy when we aren't the ones taking the huge pay cut.

Also, if you had a million in the bank, would you be fine getting paid less than your peers for the same job? I expect for many people, it's something of a matter of pride. It wouldn't surprise me if the size of a contract is one way the players measure how their team values them. It feels good to be valued by your employer... 69 said it was a goal to be the highest paid player at his position. How many millions does he need?

3 points
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Swisch's picture

March 01, 2021 at 05:43 pm

The individual goal of becoming the highest-paid player can interfere with the team goal of signing other top players to win a Super Bowl.
It's not a matter of poverty for these guys to take somewhat less; and the sacrifice could be worth it for a championship.

-1 points
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Swisch's picture

March 01, 2021 at 08:15 pm

If he hasn't lost his fortune, J. J. is like a wealthy businessman at the end of his career who can afford to downshift by opening up a bookstore, or teaching at the community college, or something else that is more of a passion.
I realize I'm something of an idealist, but don't guys ever dream about playing for their favorite team from childhood?
Way back in the fall of 1973, when I was 11 and playing tackle youth football in suburban Chicago, one of our opponents had uniforms that were just like the Packers.
When I didn't have one of my better games, my dad surprised me by asking sincerely if I had difficulty playing against a teams with Packer uniforms.
The thought hadn't occurred to me, so I couldn't blame my lesser performance on such a psychological obstacle. However, it illustrates how much I loved the Packers in being asked that question.
Since we lived most of my childhood outside of Wisconsin (though we did come back to visit relatives), my dad was somewhat puzzled at my passion for the Packers. It was much greater than his attachment, even though he grew up on the north side of Milwaukee, and graduated from Marquette, and could enjoy the Lombardi years (for which I was too young, being born in 1962).
Playing for the Packers would be to me a dream come true -- and somewhat priceless, especially if I was financially set for life.
If I was a pro, it'd be hard for my to play for any other team than the Packers, and perhaps impossible to play for the Vikings or Cowboys.
I'm admittedly eccentric. However, as I noted above, the rewards to J. J. for becoming a legend in Wisconsin would have been practical as well as romantic.
Anyway, your point is well taken, 4thandinches, so thumbs up.

3 points
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Swisch's picture

March 01, 2021 at 04:58 pm

duplicate

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4thandinches's picture

March 02, 2021 at 09:53 am

Thanks for sharing! What you say makes me wonder where Rodgers loyalties lie. If given the option, would he prefer to play for the Pack his entire career or get traded/signed by his home town 9ers? At what point in your adult life do you bury those childhood fantasies if you aren't drafted/signed immediately by your childhood team? Do you ever? It'd be an interesting question to ask some of these athletes.

0 points
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Guet's picture

March 01, 2021 at 01:48 pm

They should have released/cut Dean Lowrey and Preston Smith neither even came close to earning their money last year. JJ will earn and exceed his value for the contract. Maybe the Packers can sign Jodie Foster.

2 points
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crayzpackfan's picture

March 01, 2021 at 06:26 pm

Jodie Foster?! Lol. Well played John Warnock Hinckley Jr. Well played.

-1 points
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Packer_Fan's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:03 pm

Gute was aggressive two years ago and now looks back to normal. Probably couldn't get the Adams extension done in time. Who knows. I am not expecting any thing big this year. Sad

0 points
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Packer_Fan's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:04 pm

Gute was aggressive two years ago and now looks back to normal. Probably couldn't get the Adams extension done in time. Who knows. I am not expecting any thing big this year. Sad

-1 points
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NorCalPacker685's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:21 pm

Classic... “I want to win”... unless of course I get offered wayyy too much money from the team who will undoubtedly finish dead last in the NFC West.

3 points
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Dragon5's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:48 pm

Aaron Donald and Jimmy G are in their enemy year...if Donald is hurt Rams D will be off bigtime...Jimmy G nothing more than a game manager to begin with...Nick Bosa 6 months removed from an ACL...Richard Sherman likely gone...K'Waun Williams in enemy year...SF DC Robert Saleh now HC of Jets...I don't expect SF D to return to dominance...Russ Wilson could get traded out of the division. Kyler Murray an OX in an OX year. Stage is set for Cardinals surprise IMHO.

0 points
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PeteK's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:39 pm

PT Barnum , "There's a sucker born every minute".

1 points
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Fabio's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:51 pm

Small reflection:
The limit of 180 ml of cap imposes restructuring and releases necessary to re-enter the cap. If we do all the operations (extensions of Back Rodgers, Adams and / or Z, release of Wagner, Kirksey, Patrick, Lindsey, AJ, JW ...) and taking into account the necessary for draft and more, we will have perhaps in all the possibility of 8/10 ml. So either we go to 2 medium-value players or try 1 for a valid one (and JJW was realistically impractical). I don't see any other possibilities
PS I hope in Gilmoure
GPG
Greetings from Italy

-1 points
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PeteK's picture

March 01, 2021 at 02:59 pm

Good luck getting double teamed even more than last year because of Card's weak DL. I always doubted we could afford him with our cap problems, but thought he could be a great fit. He would not get double teamed as much with Smith and Clark on the same DL.

1 points
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Fabio's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:08 pm

Second reflection:
Playing in Green Bay is not easy. Correct me if I'm wrong, (not living there), but life is very different, the climate is not inviting, social relationships are different (but more beautiful for those who know them). And that's not inviting for players who (mostly feeling like stars) have to decide to come and play for us if not for a lot of money (see Reggie White). So now, (not having much to spend in FA) I think it is appropriate to go either to a player like Gilmoure (my favorite) or to cheaper players, but with the desire and need to prove their worth (in need of revenge) perhaps able to understand what it means to be part of the Packers community and how strong the bond between the team and its city is and what all this means for its citizens and for all of Wisconsin.
I love Green Bay and playing for Green Bay isn't for everyone
GPG
Greetings from Italy

2 points
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egbertsouse's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:14 pm

That's why it's called professional football. It's about the money. If my employer would have asked me to take a $50000 pay cut..... BUT....you get to live in GB, 50 miles from where you grew up,....AND.... you get the "Employee of the Year" silver plated trophy on top of that...well,..... I have to say that I'd still be LMAO and I've been retired for 8 years.

6 points
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Matt Gonzales's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:28 pm

Makes sense. AZ has a young and cheap QB. GB should be active in free agency, but if I were Gute I would want any big name/first tier player I would consider bringing in to be an anchor player - someone that could potentially be on the roster when it's time to move on from AR and hand the keys to Love or a QB TBD. The only way GB could have made that kind of money work would be by cutting players that are good now and using salary cap wizardry like voidable years that steal from the future. Hard pass.

-1 points
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Guam's picture

March 01, 2021 at 03:53 pm

Not the least bit disappointed because I never expected him to sign with the Packers. JJ was priced in the $15 million a year range by knowledgeable folks and a hometown discount might have been $14 million a year. The Packers probably couldn't have afforded $5 million a year. It was never going to happen.

3 points
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Swisch's picture

March 01, 2021 at 06:41 pm

I would have paid J. J. $6 million per year with incentives to make it to $10 million.
He probably could have scrimped by on that, plus maybe made up some of the difference with playoff money.
By taking considerably less with the Packers, he would have become a home-state hero and become a legend of Wisconsin -- somewhat priceless, it seems to me -- plus able to win high political office, perhaps, and with all manner of opportunities for career satisfaction and monetary rewards.
If he hasn't signed yet with the Cardinals yet, he may want to reconsider.

-1 points
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Guam's picture

March 02, 2021 at 07:59 am

I appreciate your optimism Swisch, but that just isn't the real world. Very few people willingly take a pay cut and very rarely a substantial pay cut. And in all likelihood he could still come back to Wisconsin and run for high office or do anything else he wanted to do.

There is an old saying: "Money talks and bs walks". True decades ago and still true today.

1 points
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Swisch's picture

March 02, 2021 at 08:15 am

I guess that's why very few people become legends.
Legends live in the real world, but in an extraordinary way.

-1 points
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Ferrari-Driver's picture

March 01, 2021 at 04:00 pm

And the ALMIGHTY BUCK wins out again. Getting out of Houston to get a chance at a Super Bowl ring has taken second place to the money. However, Arizona better not expect to get the JJ Watt of six or seven years ago. The one guy who always wins out is"Father Time" and in the last few years it showed up at JJ's doorstep. Injuries come around more often and take longer to heal. That first step isn't what it used to be and will look just a little slower this year.

In my opinion, I feel the Packers won by not mortgaging their future to sign what was one of the best to play the position.

2 points
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PF4L's picture

March 01, 2021 at 05:12 pm

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Watt is signing a two-year deal worth $31 million, with $23 million guaranteed.
.
Does this mean Watt won't take a hometown discount to join the Packers?
.
Shocking

1 points
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crayzpackfan's picture

March 01, 2021 at 06:21 pm

Good luck with that J.J. In reality, he would’ve been too expensive. He clearly isn’t thinking of winning a super bowl going to Arizona. With that said, we still need a B+ player alongside Kenny to make this happen. Arizona?! Watt in the heck is he thinking? Oh yeah, getting paid!!

1 points
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Irish_Cheesehead's picture

March 01, 2021 at 08:53 pm

Best of luck to JJ in Arizona, but I’m glad the Packers didn’t overpay for him.

0 points
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Since'61's picture

March 01, 2021 at 09:49 pm

Of course Watt went for the $$$$. Why shouldn’t he? This is almost certainly his last contract with an NFL team. With his injury history he’ll probably play about 20 -23 games. Basically $1 million per game based on the guaranteed amount. These owners are willing to pay so why not take their money.

As for the Packers, move on and bring in younger players who can contribute. Thanks, Since ‘61

4 points
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marpag1's picture

March 02, 2021 at 12:26 am

No one with a brain and a rudimentary understanding of the salary cap ever thought that JJ Watt was going to sign with Green Bay.

2 points
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Tamal32's picture

March 24, 2021 at 01:09 pm

This is great. At least he can be sure <a href="https://freelancertamal.com/">to</a> lock his dream.

0 points
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