Glendale, Ariz. - Cardinals coach Cliff Kingsbury J.J. Watt took to the field on Monday for his first training camp practice with the Arizona Cardinals that the three-time defensive player of the year was about to push boundaries and try to play more than he was scheduled.
That's exactly what happened.
Watt began his training camp in front of empty stands, which are now closed to the public. All they had to do was participate in individual exercises, but those guidelines got out of the way as the practice continued.
"That's part of the challenge, easing yourself back in and trusting it," Watt said. "Someone just asked how I felt and I was like, 'Like a dog chasing a tennis ball.'" You're just like, wherever it bounces you want to get it and you're so excited to be out there and, like, it doesn't matter where you're supposed to bounce, you're just going for it Yes, and today felt the same way.
"You're so excited to be out there and people to play with, and it was so much fun."
Watt began his first practice by leading the defensive line in a drill while running over the bag. From there, he took part in sledge drills before the team period began.
The plan during the camp was for Watt to slowly recover after suffering a hamstring injury during a conditioning test on the day the Cardinals reported to camp.
"We wanted to make sure we were really alert, make sure we felt 100 percent before bringing him back," Kingsbury said during his press conference before practice.
Watt said: "We definitely took our time."
Watt said he doesn't need pre-season games to know that his body is ready to play in the regular season, a feeling he developed during his first 10 seasons in the NFL.
"I've been in a lot of football games, I've been in a lot of situations, so I know what my body needs to be ready for Game 1," he said. "I don't think pre-season games are one of those things that's absolutely necessary for me."
But the wait kept on.
He's played in a version of the Cardinals' defense in the past so he came to Arizona with the familiarity of the plan. He has also been in daily meetings, studying and watching movies.
"So, no worries there," he said.
The next step for Watts is to gain reps with other first-team defenders - particularly with young linebackers Zwayne Collins and Isaiah Simmons - to learn their instincts and to find out "we all play the same way". Looking or not. Way."
Watt spent time helping young players in the first two preseason games when they felt it was needed and encouraged them a second time.
With the regular season less than three weeks away, Watts is ready to see his snaps dwindle this season.
Watt has played more than 900 snaps in five of his 10 seasons. He has played at least 741 snaps in each season in all 16 games, which he has managed seven times, but just twice in the last five seasons. He is coming off a full 16-game season in 2020 in which he played 978 snaps.
"I think it would be beneficial to be able to cut back some of them a little bit," Watt said. "I mean, part of it is, just, the game rolls on, you feel like, personal pride kicks in and you're like, 'I need to be out there and I want to go out there and pretend I want to," but then there's also part of being smart and understanding that it's a long season, it's a long game and you need to be there for the right position.
"So, I think you're more comfortable doing that when you have competent people behind you who are able to go ahead and pretend."