Browns: 5 reasons why Cleveland makes sense for J.J. Watt

The Browns are going to try and pitch J.J. Watt to sign with the team, and if they’re smart, they’ll use these five reasons to entice him.

The Browns are going to have to compete with the likes of The Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers, the Buffalo Bills, and a horde of other teams how are vying for the former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and future first-ballot Hall of Famer. To say J.J. Watt has suitors is an understatement.

For the first time in years, the Browns are actually poised to land a major name in free agency that isn’t looking to prove something. Sure, Jack Conklin was a get last year, but he signed a very-team friendly deal and didn’t even get an offer from his former team. He had a lot to prove, which he did.

The former Texans star, however, is the belle of the ball and now has a chance to get to the big game. The path to which, clearly runs through Cleveland.

Here are five reasons Watt should sign with Cleveland.

He’ll have help with Myles Garrett

J.J. Watt has never played with anyone as good as he is. Period. No defensive teammate has ever been able to measure up to Watt. There is only a handful that can now. Jamal Adams, his brother T.J., Aaron Donald, and if he’s healthy; Myles Garrett. As good as Denzel Ward has been, the same thing is true about Garrett. He’s never had anyone on his level be a teammate. Watt is still a very good player. Is he as good as he was when he was winning the Defensive Player of the Year award? Well, only one way to find out, and with Garrett there, Watt will have plenty of opportunities to succeed.

He can play inside right next to Garrett

Watt has played inside techniques for most of his career in Houston, so while yes, he’s a defensive end, he often had assignments that 4-3 defenses would often see defensive tackles take on. Watt is bigger, and stronger than Garrett and can easily line up inside of Garrett as a tackle in passing downs. He’s also just as nimble as anyone on the edge still and can ride a tackle into the boundary if he needed to. He’s extremely versatile.

More cap space

There’s talk of J.J. Watt going to Green Bay, but the biggest issue with him going up there is their cap. It’s bad. The Packers as of the 18th of February is over the cap. They’re going to have to cut players to get under the cap. The Packers will only have about $5 million once the new cap takes effect. Even if Watt gives Green Bay a home-state discount, they still would only have $5 million to spread around this off-season without gutting their roster. This isn’t an issue the Browns have. They not only have oodles of cap space but can create some more pretty easily, without taking much if any dead cap salary.

A defense that will rely on him

The Browns aren’t a blitzing team, in part because they don’t have anyone who can blitz but also because they’re modeled after the Tampa-2 defense that Tony Dungy engineered, meaning, like those Tampa teams, The Browns don’t blitz usually. They aren’t a carbon copy of that defense, they rely on a Cover 3 most of the time and utilize more defensive backs than linebackers, but for the hosses upfront, whether it’s a Cover 2, Cover 3, or a Tampa-2, it’s the same job.

Get after the quarterback.

That’s something that the Browns will be able to sell to Watt, not just a chance to win, but a chance to be a big reason why they win. Watt doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who wants to ride his way to a Super Bowl win. He probably wants to contribute and in this defense, he’ll have every opportunity.

Five points away from the AFC title game

At the end of the day, the Browns were just five points away from an AFC title game. Watt would’ve helped with that. He still can.