Packers named one of the top landing spots for J.J. Watt

With three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt now an unrestricted free agent, everyone is wondering where he’ll choose to play football next season. Many Green Bay Packers fans are hoping Watt returns home to Wisconsin and goes after a Super Bowl.

A trade for Watt never seemed likely for the Packers given their limited cap space, but Watt being released by the Houston Texans is a potential a game-changer.

Cody Williams of NFL Spin Zone named the five top landing spots for Watt this offseason, and he put the Packers at No. 3.

Williams believes adding Watt would give Green Bay one of the strongest pass rushes in the league.

"“In a homecoming for the Wisconsin Badgers star, Watt could come to the Packers and give them one of the fiercest pass-rush groups in the NFL, slotting in as one of the down ends with Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith on the edge.”"

Hard to argue with that.

It’s perhaps not a question of if the Packers would be interested in signing Watt, or possibly even if he’d have interest in signing. It’s more a matter of how it would work on the salary cap.

The Packers can’t compete with most of the league when it comes to offering a big-money deal. They simply don’t have the cap space to make that work.

What Green Bay has to hope is that Watt only wants to play for a contender and is willing to accept less money to make that happen. That would still give the Packers plenty of competition around the league, but as Williams points out in the article, Green Bay would be a great landing spot for Watt.

Watt would strengthen the defensive line and the pass rush, finally giving Kenny Clark some much-needed help. If Watt is willing to take a deal worth less money, while Green Bay can make some roster moves (restructuring contracts or releasing players are both options), it could work.

From a football perspective, there’s no doubt Watt to Green Bay would be a great match.