Badger of Honor
Fansided

Wisconsin Football: Top 5 landing spots for J.J. Watt

By Christian Borman

Nov 26, 2020; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) runs the for a touchdown after intercepting the ball during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2020; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) runs the for a touchdown after intercepting the ball during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
J.J. Watt
Dec 6, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jordan Wilkins (20) runs with the ball as Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) attempts to make a tackle during the third quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are coming off of an 11-5 season where they made the postseason but lost in the wild card round to the Bills, 27-24.

The Colts had one of the best defenses in the league last year. They finished in the top 10 in scoring and yards allowed. Adding someone like J.J. Watt opposite of DeForest Buckner would add another dimension to the Colts’ pass rush.

The Colts’ quarterback situation is still a question mark, but there is still time to get that figured out.

On top of that, the Colts have the second-most cap space in the NFL with about $78.5 million to spend. If J.J. Watt wanted to his cake and to eat it too, this might be his best shot. The Colts should be able to pay his market value and still contend in the AFC next season.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

So obviously the Buccaneers aren’t in the Midwest, but if Watt truly wants to win a ring, who else should he target than the reigning NFL champs? The Buccaneers ran the table after losing to the Chiefs in Week 12. They rattled off eight wins a row to capture their second Lombardi Trophy. Tom Brady is undoubtedly coming back, and as we’ve all seen, he keeps winning, even away from Bill Belichick.

The Bucs have $30 million in cap space, but they also have some big pieces they need to bring back. Right now, Shaquil Barrett, Chris Godwin, Lavonte David, Vita Vea, and Leonard Fournette are all scheduled to be free agents.

According to Spotrac, adding Barrett, Godwin, David, and Vea at their market values would add $59.2 million dollars. Finding space to sign Watt could be a challenge. Players like Barrett will definitely be a priority over Watt, but if he can make it happen, you’d think the Bucs would be high on Watt’s list.