J.J. Watt looks to have a more optimistic attitude about surmounting his latest severe injury than he did when he was battling through back problems a year ago. Despite this being the Texans defensive end’s second severe injury in the past two seasons, the three-time defensive player of the year did not seriously consider retirement like he did when he was going through back rehab. Watt made it back and was playing at an elite level prior to his leg injury — officially a tibial plateau fracture — but he’s confident he’ll be ready to go once the 2018 season begins.
“Not yet; I know I’m not there yet,” Watt said on The Dan Patrick Show (via the Houston Chronicle) when asked if he was considering retirement. “… With my back, I was. But this time I wasn’t. This time I actually was never close. From day one I was always super-excited about this recovery. I was super-optimistic; I have a great attitude; I have a great attitude about it because the broken leg to me — the back was a little bit of an unknown — a broken leg I can understand. I feel great and I’m excited about the future.”
Now 28, Watt has four years remaining on the six-year, $100MM deal he signed in 2014.
Here’s the latest from the AFC on Super Bowl eve.
- Donte Moncrief‘s inconsistency last season frustrated members of the Colts organization, Mike Wells of ESPN.com notes. Moncrief is now an unrestricted free agent and joins several other receivers whose career profiles aren’t beacons of stability — like Sammy Watkins, Allen Robinson, John Brown and Jordan Matthews. This uncertain market could prompt the Colts, who as of now have Andrew Luck on the right track to return next season, to offer Moncrief a short-team deal to determine his legitimacy. Moncrief has shown a rapport with Luck, catching 14 of his 18 career TDs from the cornerstone Colt, but last season was playing behind Kamar Aiken in Indianapolis’ rotation.
- While the Browns will explore a Kirk Cousins contract, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com’s consensus after this whirlwind week is the team will eventually shift its focus to a bridge quarterback to pair with the signal-caller chosen at No. 1 overall. Given the near-$30MM-per-year requirement Cousins could come with, given a team like the Browns being likely forced to overpay in this scenario, she concludes the likely outcome will be the Browns pivoting to the likes of A.J. McCarron and whomever the Vikings don’t prioritize.
- The Ravens will hire more senior scouts to work with the personnel department in the near future, owner Steve Bisciotti said (via Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun). The team recently lost four scouts to the Eagles in Joe Douglas, Andy Weidl, Ian Cunningham and T.J. McCreight, with Preston writing they had a combined 55 years’ experience with Baltimore. Bisciotti made it clear the Ravens will be targeting experience when searching for scouting assistance. “I think that in retrospect, you can say you can’t lose those three scouts with 30 years of experience between the three of them and then hire 25-year-olds that are ready to give it the old try,” Bisciotti said, referencing some of the Ravens’ recent high draft picks that haven’t panned out. “I think that it shows that we have not done a very good job of filling in for senior people with senior people. So that’s something we’re going to address starting right now.”
Why not sign Cousins to a 6/7 year deal and build around him with their plethora of draft picks?
Isn’t he more of sure thing than Darnold or Rosen?
Look at the source. Mary Kay says what Mary Kay believes, not anything that might resemble actual truth.
I honestly believe the Browns will take Barkley at #1.
Me too. And then pick whatever QB falls to then at 4 if they don’t get one via FA
I agree
by the way when has Mary Key ever been correct on a draft pick she may be the worst media talking head in Cleveland Brown history when it come to her Rumors / Sources.
All you have to do is think back to the Love Affair she had with the Browns are taking Justin Blackmon in the 2012 draft at one point I thought at one point she was his agent who by the way has not touched a football since 2013.
I say back up the truck and pay Cousins cause IMO if you have an franchise Qb you have to pay no way around it this is what the fans deserve and sign either Jarvis Landry or Allen Robinson and maybe a offensive and Defensive lineman.
Then the Draft If Cousins is signed
#1 Barkley
#4 (a) Bradley Chubb, DE (b) Joshua Jackson, CB
(c) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (d) Calvin Ridley, WR,
(d) – Trade #4 to Buffalo for Micah Hyde S # 21 #22 #53 #95 and Buffalo 1st rounder in 2019 to move to # 4 this year.
Round 2
#33 – I would shock everybody and double up at RB and snag Sony Michel or Nick Chubb – dual back rotating in 2018 to keep the running game well rested with also having Duke Johnson also so times in the back but mostly serving as a slot receiver in 2018
.
# 35 OT Orlando Brown, OT / Kolton Miller, OT / Brian O’Neill, OT one of these 3 should slide into the 2nd round.
#63 Jaire Alexander, CB
Round # 3
#65 Luke Falk, QB, Washington State here is the Qb that learns behind Cousins. ( I actually believe this guy to be the under the radar guy at Qb for this draft )
I support the browns and I fully support paying cousins bank telling him they will set him up woth Barkley and take the best linemen at #4 or give him a big say in what they use that pick on, and he will have a hopefully good running back, joe Thomas protecting him, josh gordan hopefully, Coleman, njoku is young and a up and coming defense. This team could be a legitimate threat if the defense does just a bit better than last year.
Not to sound like an ass, but the Browns have won a total of 1 game the last 2 seasons. I don’t see any shot of Cousins signing with the Browns, and there’s no shot the Browns will ever be considered a “legitimate threat” anytime soon…
if Dorsey and the regime can get things straightened out now…that division will be theirs in a few years bc Ben , flacco are on the backsides of their careers and Dalton is dalton
That’s a big “if” for the Browns to suddenly make good decisions& the other 3 teams will simply let their current QB’s grow old with no plan for the future. Not a fan of any in this division, but historically Pittsburgh & Baltimore & heck, even Cincinnati have a track record of at least some success. Cleveland, on the other hand, does not.
Problem with the browns, other than the head coach, is the qb situation. No way could you convince me that the browns would have lost all 16 games last year with Kirk Cousins, or another competent qb. With Kirk Cousins last year, the browns win at least 4-6 games and with 6 of the first 66 picks this year and Kirk Cousins they would win 7-9 games. Assuming Hue pulls his head out.