Does Texans' JJ Watt have one more Defensive Player of Year-type season in him?
No one has won NFL Defensive Player of the Year four times in a career. Could Houston's JJ Watt reach that mark in 2020?
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Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is a first-ballot Hall of Famer even if he never plays another down in the NFL. Yes, Watt has only played nine seasons and has missed large chunks in three of those, but he has been historically dominant when healthy and is one of just two players to win three NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards, joining Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor. To win a fourth in 2020, Watt is a +900 second-favorite to the Rams' Aaron Donald (+600) on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook.
No defensive tackle/end has ever been better in a four-year stretch than Watt was from 2012-15 as he won the DPOY every season but in 2013 when since-retired Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly took it award. Watt had "only" 10.5 sacks that year and finished sixth.
Injuries are starting to bring the future in question for the 31-year-old Watt. He missed eight regular-season games in 2019 with a torn pectoral muscle but did return for the playoffs. Watt missed the final 11 games of 2017 with a fractured leg and played in only three in 2016 due to back surgery.
There's actually a site called Sports Injury Protector, and it projects Watt to miss 2.9 games this year. Watt is among the favorites to win Comeback Player of the Year too as he's +600 on that prop at William Hill.
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Watt made some news this week when he said he wouldn't request a contract extension from Houston. He has two years left but very little guaranteed money. Watt is due $15.5 million in 2020 and $17.5 million in 2021. "I think that I fully understand... what's happened in the past few years," Watt said to the media. "So I'm not going to sit here and demand anything."
Not out of the question the Texans release Watt after this season if he suffers another serious injury. Houston opens the 2020 campaign Thursday, Sept. 10 in the Kickoff Game as a 10-point underdog on the NFL odds in Kansas City.
| Defensive Player of Year favorites |
| Aaron Donals +600 |
| JJ Watt +900 |
| Nick Bosa +900 |
| Khalil Mack +1000 |
| Joey Bosa +1400 |
| TJ Watt +1600 |
| Odds from William Hill |