As training camps loom around the league, T.J. Watt is one of several notable edge rushers whose financial situation is uncertain. He and the Steelers hope to work out another extension, but considerable work still needs to be done. 
Watt was absent from minicamp with no agreement imminent. That remains the case at this point, with both guaranteed money and term length representing sticking points in negotiations. The top of the pass rush market has been known for months, though, leading many to believe other factors are leading to hesitation on the Steelers’ part.
Indeed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported during a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan (video link) the sense around the league is that Pittsburgh is hesitant to make another long-term Watt commitment based on how last season ended. Watt wound up with 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six fumbles in 2024. His performances down the stretch and during the team’s wild-card loss fell short of his All-Pro standards, however.
Taking that into account along with his age (31 in October), Watt is not as straightforward of a candidate for a market-topping deal as he was in 2021. That year, the Steelers moved him to the top of the pecking order at an average of just over $28MM. That figure has since been surpassed several times over, and Myles Garrett moved the bar to $40MM per season with his latest Browns pact. Watt aims to surpass him on his third Steelers contract, but the team will need to weigh a potential falloff in production over the coming years.
A torn pec limited Watt to 10 games in 2022. During each of the two seasons preceding that one as well as the campaign following it, however, the seven-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in sacks. That will no doubt be a point of emphasis from his side during negotiations, a process which could last well into the summer. In 2021, Watt engaged in a hold-in during training camp until his deal was finalized mere days before the start of the campaign. A similar sequence could be in store this time around, with Week 1 representing a hard deadline given the Steelers’ philosophy of not negotiating contracts in-season.
The Steelers own a 1-10 record in games Watt has not suited up for during his decorated career. Given the team’s offseason moves centered on competing in 2025, a trade sending him elsewhere would come as a major surprise. Still, speculation about Watt’s situation will continue until an agreement is in place. It will be interesting to see if general manager Omar Khan winds up making a similar investment to the one his predecessor (Kevin Colbert) made four years ago or if he leaves the door open to a potential 2026 free agent departure.
Excuses, excuses…
Those Watt boys don’t age well. They are such great competitors and teammates that they play through injuries that come back to bite them later. Hard to bank on him surviving his own skill set for multiple years in his 30’s.
PEDs have a way of breaking down your body….
There’s a happy medium to Watt getting a nice 3rd contract
4/$80M with ALL of it guaranteed would be what I’d offer. No voidable year crap.
Haha, that’s about 1/2 what it will take to get it done.
Sounds like them spinning it so everyone won’t be shocked when they decide to trade him
Why exactly is no one bitc**ing about how the Steelers are run or how cheap they are ? The Steelers haven’t had to pay a 50 million dollar QB yet they’re pinching pennies on a player who has won the sack title 3 out of the past 5 years. I’d grab Watt over Hendrickson any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Could it be these QB crunchers don’t age particularly well? I really can’t blame these teams for not wanting to pay these older guys big money. Age, as well as the fact the 49ers paid Aiyuk (after he skipped training camp) all that cash last year and seven games later he’s hurt and may start this year on IR. Guys like Watt and Hendrickson need to understand there’s an expiration date on their career and nobody wants to buy something that’s past the “best by” date, at least not at full price.
They’re not pinching pennies.
They just have no reason to pay him 40mil AAV right now.
Watt prefers to retire a Steeler, so if he wants a max contract then he needs to earn it in 2025 on the field
I’d be very comfortable letting Watt reach free agency, given that anything less than a superb 2025 will lower his value
If they trade TJ Watt all the defensive moves they made are useless!! Just sign him already!!!
I dont think they’d trade him until the trade deadline, and would involve a combination of steelers tanking and Watt slowing down
Watt’s aways going to net a 1st or 2nd round pick, so there’d be no pressure to trade him pre-season