While J.J. Watt would like to hammer out an extension with the Texans, he hasn’t considered holding out in order to get a larger payday. Speaking to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (multiple Twitter links), Watt said he wouldn’t use his leverage against the team. “[T]hat would cause me to miss time with my teammates,” said Watt. “I want to practice. I want to be out here with these young guys. I want to teach them the things that I know. I want to better myself. It hasn’t really come to to that. I want to be a Houston Texan. I want to be the best I can be and I can’t do that by sitting on my couch.” More from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Free agent linebacker Trevardo Williams worked out for the Colts today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Williams was waived by the Cardinals on August 8, and has also spent time on the Texans’ roster this offseason.
- Following his season-ending patellar tendon injury, Sam Baker‘s future with the Falcons looks a bit murky. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks at Baker’s unworkable (from Atlanta’s perspective) contract, and goes through the options the team might survey when looking to lower the tackle’s future cap hits.
- After fellow 2011 draftees Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton received new deals, it’s only a matter of time until the Panthers sign Cam Newton to an extension, writes Ari Nissim of the National Football Post. Nissim notes that because Carolina gave defensive end Charles Johnson a $30MM signing bonus, it might be difficult for them offer Newton a bonus that’s less than $40MM.
- The Saints have not been clear about the specifics of fullback Erik Lorig‘s injury, but it sounds like they’re getting set to be without the free agent addition when the regular season begins. “Our preparation’s got to be with the idea that, as Erik’s rehabbing, we’ve got to be ready to have a fullback Week 1, with the chance it’s not going to be Erik,” head coach Sean Payton told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “And so both [Greg Jones and Austin Johnson] are competing.”