J.J. Watt to Miss Season Opener for the Arizona Cardinals

Injuries continue to haunt star defensive lineman J.J. Watt. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Arizona Cardinal is likely to miss Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs:

Cardinals’ DE J.J. Watt, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a calf injury, is unlikely to play vs. the Chiefs, per source. Cardinals want to be safe and smart with 16 games ahead.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2022

Watt missed much of the preseason between this calf strain and a positive COVID test, and he's missed an alarming 41 games since 2016. A record-tying three-time Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year, Watt signed with the Arizona Cardinals last year hoping he could get healthy and regain his former glory. The team's faith in him has yet to be rewarded; he was absent for 10 games last season.

At 33 years old, Watt is still an effective player when healthy, but his sporadic availability doesn't appear to be an issue that's going away. With a tough opening slate featuring games against the Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and the Los Angeles Rams in the first three weeks, the Cardinals can't afford to be cautious forever. They'll need to be full strength sooner than later if the team wants to bounce back from last year's humbling Wild Card defeat.