Arizona Cardinals GM Says QB Shuffle in Offseason Played a Role in Franchise Acquiring JJ Watt

After weeks of speculation, JJ Watt finally signed with the Arizona Cardinals for the 2021 season. The two-year deal which could see him earn up to $31 million will see the former Houston Texans player play as a pass rusher for head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s side.

Watt, a former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is a welcome addition to a Cardinals defense which some considered to be a top 10 unit last season.

Making a move for JJ Watt was a no-brainer for any team in the league. And as multiple franchises chased for his signature, the Arizona Cardinals got their man knowing just how important having a pass rusher of his caliber is in the NFC West.

NFC West QBs played a big role in acquiring JJ Watt

The NFC West is packed with talented quarterbacks. While Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is a promising talent, it’d be a stretch to call him best in the division.

With the Seattle Seahawks having Russell Wilson, the San Francisco 49ers having Jimmy Garoppolo, and even the LA Rams trading for Matthew Stafford, the NFC West has arguably the best set of starting QBs in the league.

And it was this that prompted Arizona Cardinals GM, Steve Keim, to make a move for JJ Watt.

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When asked during a segment of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, whether rival QBs in the division played a role in acquiring Watt, Keim had a rather straightforward answer.

“There’s no doubt. I think that you can even point to the Super Bowl and say that, that was the one team that was able to get Patrick Mahomes off his spot.

Anytime you can get all these talented quarterbacks off their spot, they have to throw from other angles. They get flushed out of pocket and they get flustered. It gets them out of their game. To me. That is a recipe for success,” Keim said.

Jones and Watt set to lead Cardinals’ pass rush

Keim further harped on the importance of having an effective pass rush to win games and how the duo of Chandler Jones and JJ Watt will have a big role to play in that.

“We all know they have to run the ball stop the run to be effective to win football games. But when you create a situation where quarterbacks are uneasy, and now that we have Chandler Jones and JJ Watt on the same front, I think that poses a problem.”

So with the Arizona Cardinals acquiring JJ Watt, do you believe they’ll be a ring-chasing team in 2021?

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