On Tuesday J.J. Watt agreed a contract extension that makes him the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. With Watt playing at an all-pro level since he was drafted in 2011, the Texans have chosen to extend Watt two years before the end of his rookie contract.
J.J. Watt Joins the $100 million Club
The Houston Texans will pay Watt $100 million over the next six years with up to $51 million guaranteed ($30 million is guaranteed at signing, with a further $21.0 million guaranteed if he is on the roster at the start of the 2016 league year). This replaces the $96 million that the Buffalo Bills paid former Houston Texan Mario Williams, as the largest contract ever for a defensive player.
The deal puts the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year in the $100 million club, becoming only the third non-quarterback to earn a $100 million contract, wide receivers Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald being the other two.
J.J. Watt has earned this contract. His production has been phenomenal. Since being drafted by the Texans in 2011 he has recorded 36.5 sacks, which included a sensational 20.5 in 2012 alone. At only 25, he could be one of the most dominant defensive players for years to come. For this very reason the Texans will be very pleased to have locked Watt up for the long term. With the NFL now more than ever geared towards the passing game, players who can rush the passer are of prime importance and a physical specimen like Watt will always carry a premium.
Watt is the best player at his position currently and as such has been paid to reflect that. Similar to Jimmy Graham at the New Orleans Saints earlier in the summer, Graham is the best Tight End in the league and has received a contract that befits that status. However the Texans have managed to learn from the Saints and have tied up Watt’s contract negotiations early rather than go through any trouble involving Franchise Tags, with the tag being significantly higher for a Defensive End than a Tight End.
Another consequence of Watt’s record deal, will be the effect it has for contract negotiations for other young Defensive Ends such as Carolina Panthers Greg Hardy and New Orleans Saints Cameron Jordan. Hardy is already under the Franchise Tag for the 2014 season and will be looking to secure a long term deal, whether that is with the Panthers or with another franchise as a free agent. Cameron Jordan’s contract runs until after the 2015 season however the Saints may look to extend him before that and avoid the drama that they encountered with the contract extensions of Jimmy Graham and before that Drew Brees. Both Hardy and Jordan, and other defensive ends negotiating new contracts, will look to use Watt’s contract as a bench mark for negotiations, much like the Quarterbacks have with contracts getting bigger and bigger each time another Quarterback negotiates a new deal. This is a trend that is also being seen with other positions, with Patrick Peterson getting a new $70 million contract eclipsing Richard Sherman’s deal signed earlier this year.
J.J. Watt is the best player at his position in the league and has been compensated well for the job he does, however he may find that he is not the highest paid defensive player for very long. Just as Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rogers have seen their contracts superseded by players like Jay Cutler, Joe Flacco and Colin Kaepernick, Watt will more than likely see his deal eclipsed by the next man to the negotiating table.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow my Twitter account –@LWOSRob. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter –@LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for? GO!
