New England Patriots Rumors: Why team shouldn’t trade for J.J. Watt

The New England Patriots will be looking to make some moves at the trade deadline but J.J. Watt shouldn’t be on the team’s radar.

After starting the regular season 2-3, the New England Patriots clearly need some help. Could J.J. Watt make things better at Gillette Stadium?

There’s no doubt that Watt will be remembered for his great pass-rushing ability. His play from 2012-2015 was absolutely amazing. In that time he had 69 sacks, over 300 tackles, and 15 forced fumbles. At times there was nothing that offenses could do to stop Watt.

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Watt is likely a hall of famer once he retires. He was one of this generations best pass rushers. Why wouldn’t you want to acquire a guy of that caliber?

Well, Watt has had some issues as of late. First, he has struggled to stay healthy which makes him a risky investment. With him about to turn 32, he’s only going to become more injury-prone.

That’s exactly what the Patriots don’t need. They already have plenty of injury problems without Watt on the roster.

There’s also the fact that J.J. Watt isn’t the same dominant player that he once was. Last season Watt only appeared in 8 games and only accumulated four sacks. The injuries he has suffered have taken a toll on his pass-rushing skills.

The Patriots would be getting the lite version of Watt. There’s no guarantee that he would pan out. He’s only gotten worse as he has aged.

Also, it’s likely that the Texans would require quite the return in order to give up Watt. It’s a price that the Patriots shouldn’t pay. They can’t overpay for an aging pass rusher when they need to get younger.

Finally, the defense isn’t the problem area for the Patriots. Right now the defense is holding New England together. If they were underperforming, the Patriots would have been in real trouble.

The New England Patriots need to acquire some weapons on offense. Acquire a wide receiver or tight end would make much more of a difference compared to trading for a player like Watt.

New England doesn’t need another pass rusher. Deatrich Wise and Chase Winovich will be the foundation of the line for the immediate future. J.J. Watt would only stunt their growth and make an already old team even older.

So the Patriots don’t need to try and sign Watt. He isn’t worth the investment at his age.

New England needs young stars, not old ones.