The wait continues around the NFL for several high-profile edge rush contract situations to be sorted out. In the case of T.J. Watt and the Steelers, it remains to be seen if an extension agreement can be reached before Week 1. 
Watt has drawn trade interest from suitors, but even though the Steelers are evaluating his value the pending 2026 free agent is widely expected to stay in Pittsburgh for at least one more season. Ensuring his future beyond that point will require another lucrative investment on the team’s part, with Watt a strong candidate to once again reset the pass rush market. A clearer picture of his asking price seems to have emerged.
During Monday’s episode of Kaboly+Mack (video link), Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show laid out the parameters of what he is “pretty sure” Watt is seeking. Per Kaboly, the former Defensive Player of the Year is angling for a five-year contract with the first four years guaranteed at an average annual value higher than Myles Garrett‘s $40MM. Topping Garrett’s mark in terms of per-year compensation has long been expected, but a commitment of that length by the Steelers would certainly be notable.
As evidenced by the fact an agreement is still not in place, the Steelers are not – at least for now – willing to go to those lengths to retain Watt on a third contract. Entering his age-31 season, the seven-time Pro Bowler naturally faces questions about his ability to remain among the league’s top pass rushers over the course of his next deal. Watt’s level of play late in the 2024 campaign is believed to be a cause for concern from the team’s perspective, and projecting his production over the coming years will be key for general manager Omar Khan in arriving at an agreement in this case.
Deviating from standard organizational procedure in a number of ways, Khan has taken a different roster-building approach in some respects than predecessor Kevin Colbert. 2025 in particular has seen the Steelers make notable win-now moves like the Aaron Rodgers signing and the trade acquisition of Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. Pittsburgh’s chances of making a postseason run would be greatly hindered by trading Watt, and the team’s 1-10 record in games without him certainly helps the four-time All-Pro’s leverage in negotiations.
Steelers players are set to report to training camp on July 23, which marks a somewhat notable checkpoint in this process. A holdout would come as a surprise given the fact it would lead to mandatory fines, although some view Watt as the likeliest player engaged in extension talks to take that route. During negotiations on his second Steelers pact, the three-time sack leader opted to hold in and it would come as no surprise if he did the same this time around.
Garrett’s four-year, $160MM Browns extension (which contains just under $124MM in total guarantees and roughly $89MM locked in at signing) still represents the bar for edge rushers at this point, but Micah Parsons is among the players who could sign a larger deal before Week 1. Watt is in a similar situation despite the age gap between he and Parsons, leaving plenty to be determined over the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers find a middle ground between their valuation and his asking price in time for the start of the season.
When’s the next drug screening? Does the nfl screen for psychedelic drugs cause this boy is trippin. Let’s pay a dude who has played a decade in the league and has as many playoff wins as me close to some $50 million per.
Number one mistake of any franchise is paying/rewarding a player for past performance.
Nah, hard pass. Too old for that kind of money.
Too much injury 😪 risk…..
Let’s face it, they’re not trading him. We’re going to hear an update everyday even when there’s nothing to update.
They’re not trading him because no team is that dumb to make a trade at $top dollar for a player whose best days are playing for another team…..with players it’s always about getting paid for what they did in the past and not getting paid for what they will do in the present and future…..
It’s not “always” about getting paid for what they did in the past.
Garret Wilson got paid for what he will do in the present and future.
Likewise, Micah Parsons is young enough that isn’t about the past.
4 years $1 billion.
Sorry TJ, your greed and obsession with being above Garrett has unbalanced you
He’s signed for this year. Then tag him for the next two and be done with it
Watt’s a great player but he’s out of his mind
I can’t wrap my head around the fact that these 30+ year old players think teams should sign them for top money and years into the future. Watt has been great, but also hurt. Hendrickson has been great, but is getting older. Football players eventually have a severe drop in production and it can happen quickly, even over one off-season. I can’t see signing a 31 year old to a 4-5 year contract. Garrett is getting 40 million because he is basically the only superstar that Cleveland has, and they need some reason for the fans to come to the games. In my humble opinion you don’t pay one guy 40 million for a few sacks, you spread the cash around and get better at each position. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got one guy who can rush the QB effectively if the other 10 guys on defense can’t hold their own, because then your most effective weapon is going to get double teamed. Bottom line, there’s a salary cap and if you’ve got a few guys taking up half of the money you aren’t going to have a very good team. To me it’s better to have a lot of guys who are good at their job than 1 superstar and 10 scrubs. My opinion and mine alone.
The bottom line man is that 30+ players all want new guaranteed contracts based on what they did previously for their team or a new suitor…..he wants guaranteed money….but what if the team asked for guaranteed production based on his career stats….the smart GM would structure a contract based on that….if you play up to or exceed your average career stats…..the contract $$$dollars stay intact….but if you don’t….there is a sliding scale downward based on your new performance…….if Watt is betting on himself….that is more than fair…..
So in your structure, the owners have no downside, only upside.
That is why Jennings in SF is seeking a restructure. He has outperformed his current contract.
I think he will get traded. SD or Buffalo would be good fits as they make SB runs but Detroit or GB should already be on the phone. Pitts has to get a top young QB.
I recall yinzers also saying Cam Heyward was too old and greedy and delusional and then he went out and had another elite year after he got paid.
WTF else are they going to spend their money on?
Anything besides the guy who single handedly keeps them relevant…? K.
Apples and oranges, 66
There’s enough greed on both sides of the ledger, I grant you that.
Watt has this obsession with Garrett. Ok, you ask what else should they spend it on? Salaries that bolster other positions, of course. I wouldn’t expect Watt to give the Steelers a discount of course, but at what point is enough enough in terms of accrued wealth? At what point do players realize what others have eloquently stated above, that time waits for no one, that production slows, that injuries ensue?
I’m a dinosaur and you’ll have to forgive me for this thinking.
I could see Carolina making a play for him. Both the GM & HC know they are on a short leash so why not blow picks and Tepper’s cash?
LOL all of these laughable comments bleating that Watt shouldn’t get paid based on past performance. There’s no better measure of future performance than performance to date. Those stats people keep dismissing are the literal metrics one can use to predict future performance. The dude has been one of the best defensive players in the league- and one of the most valuable players on his team- and that means a lot more than the hypothetical possible maybe potential it-could-conceivably-happen slowdown that may or may not occur because the player made the unwise decision to turn 30. Pay the man. He’s not greedy. He wants a performance premium, and he’s earned it.
Except you’re completely ignoring the fact that the anatomy of the body for a vast majority of NFL athletes breaks down post 30. No one is denying his prior stats are off the charts, but cannot and will not be a predictor for future events because he does not possess the body. He had at 25, 26, 27, etc when he performed these feats.