Cut/Released: JJ Watt

StreetHawk

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He's made his $100 million so I think he will be ring chasing. That means only considering a few teams; Pitts, GB, TB most likely. He would have to take $2 million or so to play with his brothers in Pitt as they are tight to the cap. GB has no cap room but Tampa could give him $8 million easily and let Suh walk.
How long before he gets a call from TB12 telling him how nice the weather is in Tampa?

He's going to take less than what he is worth. I'd just like to see anyone get rewarded for what they can do, so even taking a discount at 70% of his value, that's still value, similar to Ware. He doesn't need to drop to 20% of his value to chase a ring.

For Pitt, what does Big Ben have left? Didn't throw down the field, almost like Brees. Once teams crept their secondary up, that took away a lot of what Pitt did, plus they had no run game and their C just retired.

GB, I think they have a better team than Pitt. Salary cap can be manipulated. Guys who are past the bulk of their guaranteed money can be cut. Just saw Tyrell Williams get cut from LV with all of his guaranteed money done. It's only when you are so far over like New Orleans that it becomes unlikely to either open up cap space and retain the quality players that you want.

TB, who needs to get paid? Suh, Barrett, David, Godwin, AB are free agents right? Think only 1 guy from the middle 3 returns at a big salary. Other 2 may have to walk.
 

DueDiligence

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TB, who needs to get paid? Suh, Barrett, David, Godwin, AB are free agents right? Think only 1 guy from the middle 3 returns at a big salary. Other 2 may have to walk.
Not so surprising that if you go to the TB boards the "Superbowl effect" is front and centre. Because they won and looked good in the playoffs fans see guys like White and Barrett as the best in the league. They're good but not top 5 players at their position. Barrett has even come out and said he "wants to break the bank". So the issue will be do the Bucs have the balls like the Pats did, which is to let good players walk after a championship season, when they wanted over-inflated salaries or do they cave to public and teammate pressure and sign them to big dollars? Replace Barrett with a $10 million Watt and the Bucs are better off'; certainly in the Brady window. Not popular but sensible.
Also the Oline played well but the OT Smith and center Jensen make $25 million next year and they grade out the lowest of the 5 starters. Both guys are in the final contract year and if cut have no dead cap money. Do the Bucs replace one or both with cheaper guys? Maybe but at minimum expect a renegotiation with cheaper money for them to stick around.
Although the Bucs have a number of high profile free agents they have vastly more room to manipulate the cap than virtually every other really good team. And they can come back next season with an even better team than won the SB.
 

Troy McClure

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Watt has spent a decade with the team and been through all the ups downs already and is nearing the end of his career. He doesn't have the time left to go thru another rebuild and hopefully win a Lombardi. Its vastly different from Watsons scenario.

I hope the Packers sign Watt. Or he at least goes to KC/TB.
Both had contracts. Both asked out. There's no difference. Well.... there is one difference...
 

DueDiligence

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Both had contracts. Both asked out. There's no difference. Well.... there is one difference...
Yeah , dead cap money:
In 2021, Watson will earn a base salary of $10,540,000, while carrying a cap hit of $15,940,000 and a dead cap value of $67,140,000 , Watt dead cap $0
 
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Troy McClure

Suter will never be scratched
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Yeah , dead cap money:
In 2021, Watson will earn a base salary of $10,540,000, while carrying a cap hit of $15,940,000 and a dead cap value of $67,140,000 , Watt dead cap $0
That explains the team's decision, but it doesn't explain why one guy is ok to ask for a release and the other needs to shut up and honor his contract.
 

DueDiligence

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That explains the team's decision, but it doesn't explain why one guy is ok to ask for a release and the other needs to shut up and honor his contract.
Because one guy has been around for 10 plus years and is on the downside of his career is is replaceable. The other guy is just into the peak of his career and if he leaves will not be replaced with a close to equivalent player.
 

Troy McClure

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Because one guy has been around for 10 plus years and is on the downside of his career is is replaceable. The other guy is just into the peak of his career and if he leaves will not be replaced with a close to equivalent player.
So we can invent justifications for why one guy doesn't have the honor his contract but not the other? I'd say having ownership lie to Watson multiple times is a more meaningful reason to be able to ask out.
 

Troy McClure

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Watt signed his years ago and his running out of time to win a championship.....
But it's clear the Texans are not going to be winners at all during the remainder of Watson's contract due to what ownership has done to destroy the football operation. Why shouldn't Watson also be allowed to ask for an opportunity to play for a better run organization? Is Watson not allowed to want to win?
 

Spring in Fialta

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Because one guy has been around for 10 plus years and is on the downside of his career is is replaceable. The other guy is just into the peak of his career and if he leaves will not be replaced with a close to equivalent player.

So he's a victim of his own talent? Franchises get to act with impunity because that player is too good to lose? How does that make any sense? What's with people here trying to make excuses for mediocrity and out of whack egos?
 

DueDiligence

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So he's a victim of his own talent? Franchises get to act with impunity because that player is too good to lose? How does that make any sense? What's with people here trying to make excuses for mediocrity and out of whack egos?
Whoa there Springy! I 'm not defending the franchise i am just pointing out why they are willing to let one guy walk and they want to hang on to the other guy. The cost to the team both on the field and cap wise is much worse with Watson leaving. Whether they treat him like crap or not.
 

GKJ

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Feb 27, 2002
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Lions have always been an incompetent franchise for as long as I can remember. Even had the magical 0-16 season.

Yet they still have never reached the disaster level that the Texans have.

At least all of the Matt Millen shit was based in football and him just being an idiot
 

Spring in Fialta

A malign star kept him
Apr 1, 2007
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Whoa there Springy! I 'm not defending the franchise i am just pointing out why they are willing to let one guy walk and they want to hang on to the other guy. The cost to the team both on the field and cap wise is much worse with Watson leaving. Whether they treat him like crap or not.

Apologies. I overreacted because of the 'shut up and dribble' takes we've seen so far.
 
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StreetHawk

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So he's a victim of his own talent? Franchises get to act with impunity because that player is too good to lose? How does that make any sense? What's with people here trying to make excuses for mediocrity and out of whack egos?
I think Houston ultimately trades Watson, but they have to get the best possible return for him, so if that means that they have to publicly hold the line with him, so be it, if that is part of the process of securing the best offer they can.

You haven't even heard a clear and decisive message from Watson himself yet either.

Ware from Dallas was basically the same thing, where the Cowboys let him out. If Larry Fitzgerald asked out of Arizona the past couple of years while they were breaking in Murray, I think AZ would have let him go as well.

Houston was not getting a day 1-2 pick for Watt. Seen plenty of talented guys like C. Campbell go for a 5th round pick for example. That's probably the best that Houston would be looking at. Seems like for goodwill that Watt has given the franchise, they opted for forfeit that 5th round pick to let him go seek his own team on his terms.
 
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StreetHawk

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So we can invent justifications for why one guy doesn't have the honor his contract but not the other? I'd say having ownership lie to Watson multiple times is a more meaningful reason to be able to ask out.
Watt is worth about a day 3 draft pick. Similar to C. Campbell.

Watson is worth a minimum of 3 first round draft picks and a couple of other assets, similar to the RG3 trade.
 

jcs0218

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It's something he's going to have to weigh. Money vs chances to win. I think he would take a couple of million less to go to a better team.
I would take less to win, if I was in his situation.

He has already made over $100 million during his career. A few extra million isn't going to change his lifestyle at this point.

He would boost his career legacy if he were to win a Super Bowl, the same way that Reggie White boosted his legacy with a Super Bowl win in 1996.
 

Troy McClure

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He's also an experienced enough vet to know how hard it is to get to a Super Bowl much less win one. How much money is it worth giving up for a very small increase of odds to win a Superbowl?
 

StreetHawk

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He's also an experienced enough vet to know how hard it is to get to a Super Bowl much less win one. How much money is it worth giving up for a very small increase of odds to win a Superbowl?
Best odds of winning would be to TB, GB, KC, Buf, Bal, LAR IMO. Pretty much almost even odds
 

Street Hawk

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He's also an experienced enough vet to know how hard it is to get to a Super Bowl much less win one. How much money is it worth giving up for a very small increase of odds to win a Superbowl?
I think if $15 mill is market rate, he would have maybe gone down to 80% of that value, so $12 mill from what people perceived as the top teams. But, if those teams were closer to $10 mill per, then that's too big a cut for him. Watt is no longer a DPOY candidate, but he's a starter, and not just a rotational guy. so, he should be paid accordingly if a team wanted him.
 

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