According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Houston Texans are releasing five-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl defensive end J.J. Watt.
The #Texans are releasing star JJ Watt, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 12, 2021
The Texans drafted Watt out of Wisconsin with the No. 11 overall pick in 2011. He registered 52 tackles, five sacks, seven passes defensed, an interception, a touchdown, and two forced fumbles in 2020, per Pro Football Reference.
Watt, 31, has recorded 531 tackles, 101 sacks, a safety, 61 passes defensed, two interceptions, two touchdowns, and 25 forced fumbles through his 10 NFL seasons. He has missed time due to injuries in three of his past five seasons but appeared in all 16 games in 2020.
Watt is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, last earning the honor in 2015.
While the San Francisco 49ers could be in the market to add pass rushers, they are not expected to be big spenders in free agency this offseason. The team has several of its own impending free agents to re-sign and is expected to have less than $14 million under a lowered 2021 salary cap, per OverTheCap.com.