The NFL offseason is underway. That means salary-cap casualties, trades (!!!), free agency and yes, my offseason mailbag. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions this week; some here have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Let’s go: Gut feeling on where J.J. Watt ends up? — Cody C. Watt will have plenty of options, and just this week there have already been reports about three AFC playoff teams, the Browns, Titans and Bills, expressing interest in him. Of those — and maybe out of all of the potential options, like the Packers and the Ravens — I really am intrigued by the Bills, and I think Watt will be, too. It’s wild to think of Buffalo as a dream destination for free agents, but that’s the type of program Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott have built. It’s a veteran-friendly landing spot, where football comes first, and they certainly could give Watt what he wants most: a chance to make it to the Super Bowl. Would adding Watt make the Bills the AFC favorite over Kansas City? Probably not, but it would definitely bring the Bills closer.
JJ didn't have the sack numbers this last year, but his PFF last year was still mid 80s...he was in the top 10-15% of all line defenders in the league. He has good value to a contender.
I see either Green Bay or Chicago. His wife plays ladies soccer for the Chicago Red Stars. Everyone is talking about him joining his brothers in Pittsburgh -- but of far greater importance is his WIFE, who is of a fertile, childbearing age. She's 29 years old and running out of high quality eggs soon -- and women are considered a high risk pregnancy after age 30 if she hasn't given birth yet. Watt needs to start having children, and therefore I believe he signs with the Chicago Bears... especially if they bring in a respectable QB.
Not sure if serious, but (1) he can live with his wife for most of the offseason (2) how do you know they want children (3) I'm sure there are massive cases of women over 30 successfully giving birth, not to mention she is an athlete in great health (4) she may want to wait until her soccer career is over which will very likely outlast JJ's football career
None of my facts are wrong. Let's see who he signs with. I've got either Green Bay or Chicago and anyone else has the remaining field. Loser returns to write a 200 word essay on why they were wrong.
I think the financial and role on the team aspect of this are being underrated. Green Bay or Pittsburgh seemed to be obvious choices to go make "one last run", but I think JJ views wants a deal that's guaranteed for at least a couple of years and not at any huge discount -- he's not likely to go somewhere that can cut him within a year.
As seen above. High risk pregnancy doesn't start until 35. My wife, days shy of 32, just had a baby. Never once was considered high risk. Wasn't given any high risk treatment or tests.
That's not the point at all. A woman having her FIRST baby after the age of 30 is absolutely considered "high risk". Watt's wife would fall into this situation. Of course women have babies after age 30, including first babies, and most of the time it works out well. That's not the point. When it is your first baby and you are on the other side of 30, doctors consider it a high risk designation. That's a fact. Obviously as time passes, the higher the risk. If I'm Watt, I factor this into the equation -- that's my point, and it's very valid. It can also be harder to conceive when it's the first baby, especially if the woman is coming off of a long run on birth control medication. If Watt is living in one city and the wife is in another, it reduces the window of opportunity during ovulation. I think the family planning point is far more relevant than Watt wanting to play on the same team as his brothers in Pittsburgh. I don't see why this is really open for debate. Additionally, Pittsburgh has an awful head coach and a QB that needs to retire -- I don't see this as an attractive situation for Watt.
Had our first baby at 29(I was 30). Wasn't considered high risk. I've always heard 35 was the magic number, and we were, in fact, told that when we were pregnant with the first. Everything I've ever heard in the medical field has been 35, mostly predicated on the fact that down syndrome risk increases dramatically at that point. I will stand corrected if you post data to support this. Maybe it's changed in three years, but it's not something I've heard in the real world, or learned in school. I'm not a doctor and don't work in the OB world, but it's not something I've ever seen. Just saying. I'm not debating your key point, though. Other than to say that a multi multi millionaire would have no problem theoretically taking a two hour plane ride on a regular basis, if need be. Also, the respective seasons only eat into each other by about eight weeks. So, not a big deal, imo.
He doesn't have data and there is no point in engaging him in this. Many many women have had (including my ex-wife) first children after 30 and not considered high risk. He's creating a pile of s*** out of nothing. JJ and Kealia are professional athletes and they understand that living apart for months out of the year is part of the deal. Also claiming Green Bay as proof of this idiocy is ridiculous. They've been on the list since forever. It's Wisconsin. Of course they're going to be high on his list.
