The Most Likely Landing Spots For JJ Watt After His Release From Texans

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JJ Watt has been released by the Houston Texans, and that now opens up the future Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end to shop his services to a team he feels could help him get a ring. It’s no secret that Watt wants to win a Super Bowl.

“He knows he only has so many games left and he is ready to go and try to win,” CBS’s Jason La Canfora reported days before Watt’s release.

So that brings us to where JJ Watt will end up when the 2021 seasons kicks off in September. Remember, winning a ring is the goal. Money isn’t the main issue here.

Bills: Could Buffalo win it all? Check. Is the defense already stacked? Yes. Does Watt fit financially? The Bills would make it work. Does Watt think Allen and the offense are good enough to beat the Chiefs? That would be the sticking point. Can the Bills get over the top and send JJ to Los Angeles for the Super Bowl? Winning the AFC East shouldn’t be a concern. With Buffalo, Watt will be in the playoffs. Will Buffalo have enough is the question.

Packers: The wettest of wet dreams for Joe Buck and Jim Nantz. Snow falling, Watt making a huge play in front of a packed Lambeau Field. The Wisconsin hero comes home to team up with Rodgers and win a title for Green Bay. This is why TV networks bid billions to broadcast NFL games. Za’Darius Smith (12.5 sacks in 2020) on one side. Watt on the other. Think about it. Something else to consider: Watt’s wife plays soccer in Chicago. That’s a quick 200-mile trip.

Steelers: The other scenario that keeps Jim Nantz up at night. OMG, a Watt sandwich on Baker Mayfield. The problem here is that the Steelers will be in a dogfight to maintain a Wild Card position in the AFC North. Yes, they’re coming off a North title, but let’s be honest, that wasn’t the prettiest 12-4 division crown in history. The Steelers lost four of their last five and then got throttled by the Browns in the playoffs. Big Ben’s about to make his last stand. This doesn’t seem like the perfect fit, unless JJ wants that family bonding experience.

Browns: Combining JJ Watt and Myles Garrett sounds like a bad idea for NFL quarterbacks. While the Browns are a clear playoff contender, that AFC North doesn’t afford much wiggle room. It’s not the clearest path to the Super Bowl.

Titans: Indy will have a new quarterback, the Texans will be a mess, and Jacksonville will throw Trevor Lawrence out there to be beaten up. Vrabel and Watt have a very good relationship. Is it time to reunite and rekindle the bromance?

Tampa Bay: If winning a ring is the goal, it might not be a bad idea to kick the tires on the Buccaneers and see if they have room for a future Hall of Famer. Remember, a team hasn’t repeated since the Patriots did it in 2003-04. Does Watt want to get on the TB12 age-defying smoothie plan and possibly face Green Bay in the NFC title game? Remember, a ring is the goal here.

The odds-on-favorite: Green Bay. It just feels like the NFL gods are at work here, and JJ will be hand-delivered to where he should’ve been playing all along.

Written by Joe Kinsey

Joe Kinsey is the Senior Director of Content of OutKick and the editor of the Morning Screencaps column that examines a variety of stories taking place in real America.

Kinsey is also the founder of OutKick’s Thursday Night Mowing League, America’s largest virtual mowing league.

Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo.

15 Comments

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  1. Does he have much left at this point? I associate JJ more with “season ending” than “game changing” at this point in his career. No shade meant, it happens to everyone especially a real man that has to fight in the trench every play.

  2. It’s truly hard to believe a player of this caliber getting released. The guy is still one of the top two or three defensive lineman. I hope he gets 20 sacks wherever he lands. He should be the face of the NFL for all the good he does. As a Titans fan I would love to have him.

  3. JJ to Packers, but even he cannot make aaron rogers run for the touchdown, inside the 10 yard line, on 3rd and goal, in the championship game …, while losing to the Bucs …

    JJ can beat him up after, if it happens again, but only Aaron knows why he did not do it 😜then and likely won’t in the future.

  4. Thinking NFC West would be his best shot at getting to the SUPE. Seattle prolly but LA or SF if they can get the QB situation straightened out by summer camp. I think Aaron left it all on the frozen turf of Lambeau this past year and he’s not gonna be great next season.
    NO’rlins doesn’t have a QB, and TB does…but TB doesn’t really need JJ unless Shaq Barrett decides to go elsewhere because he’s a FA now and will be commanding big bucks. Gotta keep Barrett and pay the man versus a quick-fix for maybe 2 years with JJ.
    AFC can’t see the Bills getting past the Chiefs unless Bills have home field. Colts should have beat the Bills this time, but with Rivers gone, Jacoby Brissett isn’t gonna repeat an 11-5 season. Titans should win the AFC South next year, but they need some WR help to get to the AFC championship game. Maybe JJ to the Titans if he wants to stay in the AFC.

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