By almost all measurable metrics, 2020 was the worst year on record for basically anyone who is not immortal. Between the impact of COVID on the lives of many people and the inherent economic consequences when you have zero federal supervision or assistance (I am not promoting my political beliefs, instead, repeating the reality of a situation in which hospitals and states had to compete one with the other for rescue equipment), for the even more unshakable and irritating virus that spread to Tampa last fall at Tom Brady, who won his 1.6 million Super Bowl.
It’s been bad.
However, some good things are coming up on the horizon, since the vaccine (s) are on the way, and when it comes to the NFL? We are looking at what may be the most changed off-season in league history. Matthew Stafford is already in LA, there are rumors in the Pacific Northwest that Russell Wilson wants more protection and power, while Seahawk management wants him to stop talking openly on or near the camera.
There’s DeShaun “Anywhere but Houston… or Minnesota” Watson, and he even says that Aaron Rodgers may want to leave Green Bay at some point.
So you have the latest news from the league that the Houston Texans released JJ Watt. Watt, a tormented injury, but otherwise a perfect player and pillar of whatever community he is in, is now the subject of the NFL with site after site predicting where the big guy might end up.
Enter this Yahoo! Sports-
https://sports.yahoo.com/5-possible-destinations-for-where-jj-watt-could-sign-182028636.html
This shows the 5 possible destinations for Watt. Two of them are NFC North squadrons, none of which are Vikings. Then the emotion was over.
Which teams did he target? Let’s find out!
Green Bay Packers
Watt is a native of Wisconsin and an avowed fan of the Packers as a child, having grown up two hours on the road to Green Bay, just outside Milwaukee.
The Packers have just played a second consecutive game for the NFC title and it is believed that Watt wants to join an opponent. These two elements are two big selling points, as Watt would walk in the door as a beloved figure in Wisconsin again after starring there in his college days.
Watt and Aaron Rodgers are also said to have a healthy relationship, with each doing their best to praise the other in their competitive years. Still, there was a fun moment in 2012, when Watt fired Rodgers and scoffed at his celebration of the “Double Discount” of yore.
This pairing is not hard to imagine and would help boost the Packers front that had Kenny Clark, but a few other highlights from last season. Green Bay has the ability to free up enough space to make this happen, we suspect.
The other team?
Chicago Bears
This is our chance, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Bears race in Watt in a critical season for coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace.
For the Bears bosses, it would be an opportunity to sell the franchise’s love affair with the defense and perhaps send signals to other potential free agents that they are serious about the dispute this season.
But for Watt to consider the Bears, they would probably have to emphasize the idea that he is in the same city as his wife, Kealia Ohai Watt, who plays for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
It is an exaggeration, and there is the question of whether the Bears could pay for Watt, but they would have to run away from it, even with big questions arising in the quarterback and the free agent status of main receiver Allen Robinson, which should be a higher priority. high if he is interested in returning.
Let’s analyze my thoughts on these two potential destinations.
I hope to GOD that Watt doesn’t end up in his home state, because, and this is a breaking news that I just confirmed, the offensive line of the Vikings went from ‘meh’ to ‘responsibility’ to ‘terrible’ for now, after of a 2020 season that ended up with the unit doing worse in the PFF O-Line annual ranking than in 2018/2019 (which means something)? A level that we had to send to NASA to get the correct math on how bad the Vikings line was and how it was.
I wonder why guys like DeShaun Watson wouldn’t want to come here? Or people saying Russell Wilson? Who is angry that he played behind a unit in his teens? Yes, he will want to play behind that line.
But Watt is still 31 and with rest and a reason to worry, he can become the strength he once was (although he had a great year in 2020 at all levels, by PFF, so I’m not saying he has been awful or nothing).
Have it on Packers or Bears? Especially a line of Bears that would have him, Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks?
Yes, no, thanks.
So, let’s hope he doesn’t fit into any of the teams for any reason, since the last thing we need is for our line of papier-mache to go against that group of monsters twice a season.
Then again, the Vikings could hire you!
They would just have to perform that defense in some way with Watt, Danielle Hunter, some Eagan HS JV linebackers and Joey Browner’s cardboard cutouts safely, because we are BROKE now and all the details of the COVID cap have not been announced.
It will be a fun off-season, though. Cough.
