Arizona Cardinals: Update on defensive end JJ Watt's status

Arizona Cardinals defensive end JJ Watt is likely done for the 2021 season. The star pass rusher will undergo surgery after injuring his shoulder in the the Cardinals win over his former team, the Houston Texans on Sunday.

“Cardinals’ DE J.J. Watt will undergo what is now likely to be season-ending shoulder surgery, sources tell ESPN,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said. “No date set yet for surgery.Watt hurt his shoulder in the second quarter Sunday and still managed to play the rest of the game with the injury.”

Watt, 32, is in his first season with the Cardinals after spending the first ten seasons of his NFL career with the Houston Texans. The Wisconsin product has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, playing just two full seasons since 2016.

In seven games with the Cardinals this season, Watt had the most snaps among Arizona’s defensive linemen. He recorded 16 tackles, one sack, five tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Last season, JJ Watt had 52 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and five sacks. His last healthy season before that, 2018, Watt was selected to the Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro selection.

In his career, JJ Watt has recorded 102 sacks, 547 tackles, 177 tackles for loss and 63 passes deflected. Watt led the league in sacks twice, won three Defensive Player of the Year awards in a span of four seasons, from 2012-2015, made five first-team All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowls.

Watt’s injury comes as a big blow to a Cardinals team that remains the lone undefeated team in the league and looks to make a deep playoff run. Offensively, Kyler Murray is having an MVP-level season, having thrown for 2,002 yards and 17 touchdowns to just five interceptions, while completing over 73% of his passes. On the ground, Murray has rushed for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, second-year linebacker Isaiah Simmons has emerged as a budding star, leading the team in tackles along with an interception and two forced fumbles. Linebacker Markus Golden has had a productive season, leading the team with six sacks.

Though JJ Watt is now likely out for the season, the Cardinals will see the return of edge rusher Chandler Jones and defensive end Zach Allen from the COVID-19 reserve list.

Arizona faces off with a Green Bay Packers team on Thursday that is dealing with some major absences of their own. The Packers will be without defensive coordinator Joe Barry Thursday, after he tested positive with COVID-19. Packers star wide reciever Davante Adams is likely out for Thursday’s game after as he is in COVID protocol as well. Adams would need two negative COVID tests 24 hours apart in order to play and fly to Arizona separately.

In addition to Adams’ absence, wideout Allen Lazard was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been working through a hamstring injury which has sidelined him for the last four games. If all three receivers are unavailable on Thursday, the Green Bay Packers will be without its top-three pass catchers.