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The Cardinals may have won on Sunday, but it came at a great cost. J.J. Watt is expected to likely miss the season following a severe shoulder injury he suffered on Sunday.
The defensive end is getting surgery as soon as possible to start the recovery process, but it looks like his season is over. His absence will leave a void on the Cardinals' defense.
With the trade deadline fast approaching on November 2, the Cardinals could suddenly find themselves shopping for a piece to make up for the loss.
Who would be a great fit? Here are three candidates that the Cardinals could go after as the trade deadline looms.
#1 - Fletcher Cox, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles' painful 2021 season is reaching mid-way point. They are slowly coming to terms with the fact that Carson Wentz's second-year explosion isn't easily duplicated. As such, the team is suddenly in a lengthy rebuild. Nothing helps rebuild teams more than selling aging assets before they completely fall apart.
Fletcher Cox will be 31-year-old before the end of the season. He won't be around long enough to see the next peak of the Eagles. With the right offer, the Eagles could send the pass rusher to the Cardinals giving them a replacement for Watt. He could potentially be a destructive weapon in 2022 when Watt is healthy. Last season, Cox had 6.5 sacks and would instantly fix the loss of Watt.
#2 - Myles Jack, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are 1-5 and will likely be sellers over the next week. The Cardinals won't be able to get another J.J. Watt, but they can beef up the spot that lines up behind him.
Myles Jack would lock down the opposing tight end and could give extra time to the pass rush to get sacks. Jack can also be utilized as a blitzer off the edge in the hopes of replacing some of the pressure created by Watt.
While Jack is currently in a down year, his production is likely a by-product of the circumstances he's in with the Jacksonville Jaguars. After a season and a half with two total wins, it's not surprising that his stats are suffering.
Landing with the Cardinals would re-engage the linebacker. His renewed energy would help the defense to make up for Watt's absence.
#3 - Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos
While one cannot replace J.J. Watt, Von Miller would be about as close as one could get to cloning his production. The Cardinals could line up Von Miller at defensive end, similar to how the Cowboys utilize Micah Parsons in the absence of DeMarcus Lawrence.
It won't be cheap, but Denver may be looking to move on if they lose on Sunday and drop to 3-5 on a five-game losing streak.
Miller is 32-year-old and was dinged up in last Thursday's loss. However, Miller is sitting on 4.5 sacks and has plenty of gas in the tank. He could take over for Watt and reunite with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
New Broncos general manager George Paton is entering his first trade deadline push. Hence, the team may be more open to big changes than at any other time in the last ten years.
Also Read: What is J.J Watt's Contract Breakdown?
