No-show in Week 1 aside, any NFL defense is better with linebacker Mario Williams involved.
That said, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt doesn't sound too despondent about Williams taking the money and running to the Buffalo Bills in March.
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"I'll miss him in the locker room, but not on the field," Watt said of Williams, according to ProFooballTalk.com.
Before we get carried away, it's unlikely Watt was criticizing Williams' playing ability, which is immense. This is more an issue of Watt vouching for the guys who filled the void.
Part of the reason the Texans let Williams go without a fight was because of the depth they built behind their biggest defensive playmaker. Williams was lost early in the 2011 season after tearing his pectoral muscle. Houston barely skipped a beat.
Watt's comment is a compliment to the Texans who are in-house, not an insult to the star who left.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.