TRADING PLACES?
For all the fans ready to trade away J.J. Watt, you might be missing something
Oct 27, 2020, 1:39 pm
Trade JJ? Not so fast. Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images
Here's what the trade market could look like for the Texans
J.J. Watt is the greatest and most popular, most giving and caring, athlete in Houston history.
So why is everybody pushing the Houston Texans to trade Watt for a couple of draft picks or another butterfingers running back before the NFL trade deadline next Tuesday? If that happens, and with the Texans approaching the bye-week, it would mean that J.J. Watt has already played his last game for the Texans.
It would be a grave mistake to trade Watt, even for the Texans who already have one foot in the grave this season.
I get it, great players crave championships. Watt may be the exception. He doesn't need a title to be a champion. He's already much more. He is a legend in Houston.
A few years ago, Hurricane Harvey dropped a record amount of rainfall on our city. Watt asked fans to help him raise $200,000 for flood victims. Watt raised a little more than that - $37 million. And he made sure the money was spent wisely. When skies cleared and the dust settled, Watt's fundraising rebuilt 1,183 homes and 971 children's centers, and provided 249 million meals for people in need. That's how you measure a champion.
Watt was blown away by the charity of Houstonians: "Thank you for continuing to shine a light on the beauty of the human spirit."
That's more meaningful than holding a trophy.
There's an old and incorrect belief that great players yearn to play in New York or Los Angeles so they can grab endorsement money and opportunities outside of sports.
Watt plays in Houston. He is the star of stage, screen and H-E-B commercials. He's hosted Saturday Night Live on NBC and Ultimate Tag on Fox. He stole the show in the movie Bad Moms. Jimmy Buffett called him onstage to play conga drums for Margaritaville at the Woodlands Pavilion. He's got his own ice cream flavor. Watt makes quarterback money endorsing American Family Insurance, NRG, Reebok, Gatorade, Subway, Ford and Verizon.
He doesn't need New York or Los Angeles. He has Houston. By the way, can you even name a New York Knick?
He is the 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, five times first-team All Pro, five Pro Bowl selections, two times sack leader and Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year. He met his wife Kealia in Houston.
Sports writers and some fans think Watt is overpaid for what he delivers now. That may be the case. But money paid to J.J. Watt is money well spent. Do you really want to see him wearing another team's uniform? Remember how we scrunched our faces watching Hakeem Olajuwon, his skills clearly diminished, averaging 7 points and 6 rebounds his final season for the Toronto Raptors?
Weren't you proud to watch Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell enter baseball's Hall of Fame after playing their entire careers in Houston?
J.J. Watt is only 31 years old. He is still the Texans' best player on defense. While the Texans are a hot mess this year, they have a generational quarterback and quality receivers, even after dummy traded away our best pass catcher for a bag of magic beans. The NFL is a fluid league. The Texans could find their way back to competitiveness in a few years. Watt will be age appropriate for a winning team. Whatever you get in exchange won't match Watt's skill set and leadership. So why say goodbye to him now?
Yes, the desire to win a championship rages in J.J. Watt. His post-game, post-loss media opportunities have become painful to watch - "I'm angry" and "it sucks."
Absolutely losing sucks for players. But the adoration and respect that Watt carries in Houston is more valuable and enduring than a photo op holding a Super Bowl trophy in a city that isn't your home.
However, if J.J. Watt marches into Texans owner Cal McNair's office and demands a trade, then that's different. Watt has earned the right to control his destiny.
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C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are looking for answers after their passing game couldn’t get going in a loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Houston’s passing attack had been a strength all season, and the Texans ranked fifth in yards passing per game through their first six games. But on Sunday at Lambeau Field, Stroud was limited to a career-low 86 yards in the 24-22 loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak.
Stroud was 10 of 21 and didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The second-year player was under duress for much of the day and was sacked four times and hit seven other times.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and see what those issues were,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “As we watch the film, we’ll see what happened, starting for me the communication and just guys being on the details of the job.”
'Everything is on the table. We have to get it fixed' #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on offensive line and if personnel changes are being contemplated @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/AwK0rqeU2z
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2024
The Texans scored a season-high 41 points in a win over New England a week earlier in which Stroud threw a season-best three touchdown passes despite being without star receiver Nico Collins.
They were unable to replicate that success Sunday with Collins out for the second of at least four games after a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve.
Stefon Diggs led the team with five receptions against the Packers, but they only amounted to 23 yards. Tank Dell, who the Texans expected to step up with Collins out, was targeted four times but didn’t have a catch.
Stroud discussed the importance of getting Dell more involved in the offense.
“We have to find a way to try and get him the rock early and often and then go from there,” he said. “It has to be a focus for us, not only just him, but the whole offense clicking early. That is really my job to get the ball out on time and to where it is supposed to go. So yeah, that definitely has to be fixed.”
Ryans spoke about his confidence is getting Dell going.
'I have all the faith in Tank' #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans expressed confidence in Tank Dell ability to get back to making explosive plays again as he did as a rookie @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/bojBEx3lYo
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 21, 2024
What's working
The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their last two games after they hadn’t caused any in their previous three games.
Houston scored 16 points off three turnovers Sunday. The Texans had two interceptions and recovered a fumble on a punt. In their win over the Patriots, they scored 17 points off a season-high four turnovers.
What needs help
The Texans won’t get to where they want to be this season if Stroud doesn’t get back on track. Before Sunday, last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year was averaging more than 262 yards passing a game, giving the team confidence that the problems in the passing game are fixable.
Ryans knows the line must give Stroud more time to throw and said the coaching staff will focus on improving in that area this week.
Stock up
RB Joe Mixon continued to shine Sunday in his second game back after missing three games with an ankle injury. Mixon, who is in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati, had 25 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay.
Mixon is confident the Texans will rebound this week if they quit making mistakes.
“Does it look I’m worried? I’m not worried at all,” he said. “Like I said, we got a ... good football team. At the end of the day, we are our own worst enemy.”
Stock down
Dell was unable to help Stroud get the passing game going. The second-year player had a solid rookie season with 709 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in 11 games before breaking his leg. But he hasn’t been able to build on that success this year and has just 194 yards receiving with one score in six games.
Injuries
LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) all missed Sunday’s game and it’s unclear if any of these starters can return this week.
Key number
3 — Safety Calen Bullock had his third interception Sunday to tie Dunta Robinson and Jumal Rolle for most interceptions by a rookie in franchise history through the first seven games. He leads NFL rookies in interceptions this season and is tied for third-most among all players.
Next steps
The AFC South-leading Texans (5-2) return to division play Sunday when they host the second-place Colts (4-3), who have won two in a row and four of five.