Houston Texans have been caught up in a big spending spree lately, having given tackle Laremy Tunsil a record-breaking deal and starting contract negotiations with quarterback Deshaun Watson. Still, Texans’ Pro Bowl defensive end J.J. Watt has no intention to use this situation to secure himself a new deal as well.
Watt currently has two years left on his contract, paying him $15.5 million and $17.5 million in 2020 and 2021, respectively, but neither of them carries any guaranteed money. And while this would be enough for most players to start making demands, Watt opted to take a different route.
“No, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Watt told Houston Chronicle in a recent chat. “I’m not going to sit here and demand anything. If I asked for an extension or money right now, I think that would be the wrong move.”
Many will agree that J.J. Watt is taking a smart approach with not rushing his extension. While Watt is one of the best defensive players in the league when he’s on the field, the fact is that he wasn’t so often on it in the past four years. After playing every game in his first five seasons in the league, he missed 32 games since 2016 while struggling with various injuries.
Watt likely wants to prove he can remain healthy and have a strong campaign in 2020, which would give him more leverage in future negotiations and allow him to land a potentially record-setting deal.
