The Texas Texans added a significant name to the free market when they released defensive end JJ Watt. Although a team like San Francisco that needs help can take a look at the five-time First-Team All-Pro, it’s hard to imagine them kicking him seriously.
While Watt has mastered a certain Hall of Famer with three awards for Defensive Player of the Year, his days as a dominant player on the edge are behind him. He turns 32 in March and his 9.0 sacks in 24 games over the past two seasons. Watt has only played two full seasons since 2016 and only 48 of a possible 80 games, though he posted 16.0 sacks in a full 2018 season.
This is not to say that Watt is a bad player. He can still help a team. However, given its resume, its price could lead to significant inflation. ESPN’s Ed Werder reports as much as 12 teams inquired about former Texans star.
The problem the 49ers face is where he would play. His most important role at this stage in his career is probably in the same role that Arik Armstead plays as a lead defender in base packs and an interior in sub-packs. San Francisco has a lot of money tied up in Armstead, and adding another relatively expensive player to the same role would not be a sensible use of the limited space for 49ers.
If they are looking for help in the free agency, it will probably be with cheaper players that they can try in a specific role to maximize their talent. Their trade with DE Jordan Willis last season comes to mind where they only used him as a lead and did not ask him to lower the cover or make a defensive end.
Kerry Hyder Jr. also comes in a great year and will probably be just as valuable to the 49ers’ defense at the moment as Watt, but at a lower price. If they were to spend a little in free agencies, it would have required them to try to retain Hyder instead of following the bigger name.
With people like Trent Williams, Kyle Juszcyzk and K’Waun Williams going to fetch the free agency for the 49ers, they will have to spend wisely. The addition of an edge player is out of the question, but Watt should not be the player they are targeting.