Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

T.J. Watt Not Expected To Engage In Holdout; Steelers Not Seeking Trade

JULY 14: While a holdout would come as a surprise based on the mandatory fines which would be incurred, Outkick’s Armando Salgero reports Watt is the seen as the likeliest player amongst those engaged in a contentious negotiation to take that route. Steelers players are set to report on July 23, and it will be interesting to see how Watt handles the situation.

JULY 11: No movement has taken place recently on the T.J. Watt extension front. Still, the situation is unlikely to result in a training camp holdout.

The former Defensive Player of the Year is expected to attend training camp, Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show reports. That comes as no surprise, since a holdout would lead to mandatory fines. In the absence of an extension, a hold-in (whereby players attend camp but do not participate in on-field work) would be more likely. Watt took that route during negotiations on his 2021 extension.

Kaboly adds team and player remain in a holding pattern at this point. Matters such as term and guarantees, but also overall value, are causing the ongoing holdup in this situation. It would be a good sign if there were only one or two sticking points, but there doesn’t appear to be any common ground, at the moment. As a result, Watt could very well find himself engaging in contract talks deep into the summer. Back when he signed his 2021 extension, an agreement wasn’t reached until only three days before the start of the regular season.

With the standoff in the negotiations, teams around the league have been calling to inquire on his availability, but Kaboly maintains that the Steelers have not made any such calls themselves. The team clearly wants to retain his services for the 2025 season, but after a disappointing stretch to end 2024, they’re hesitant to commit to anything long-term.

The four-time first-team All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler turns 31 this season, and though he reached double-digit sacks in 2024, the 11.5 total was his lowest since his rookie season (not counting and injury-riddled 5.5-sack 2022 campaign). Despite a strong 10-3 start to the year, the Steelers found themselves falling from the division lead as they lost their final four games of the season, while the rival Ravens won their final four. Watt was held sackless for the last three games of the regular season, and in both the regular season finale and the playoff loss in Baltimore, Watt failed to add a single statistic to the box score.

The ninth-year veteran defender will continue to push for the deal he wants, though, and a resolution may not end up coming until early September.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Steelers Evaluating T.J. Watt’s Trade Value

The Steelers’ standoff with T.J. Watt continues amid the star edge rusher’s desire to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

The impasse in negotiations has naturally led to trade speculation. Though teams have reportedly inquired about Watt, the Steelers’ position has been clear: they have no intention of moving the current face of their franchise.

However, the Steelers have been evaluating Watt’s trade value, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan that Pittsburgh is “obviously inquiring” about the potential return of a Watt trade, characterizing it as “due diligence” as the team is still focused on retaining their all-time sack leader.

Still, exploring Watt’s value on the trade market could give the Steelers information to help them in their negotiation and decision-making process. Lowball offers would indicate that other teams would not sign Watt to a top-of-the-market extension and instead see him as a one-year rental. More aggressive valuations would suggest that other teams see Watt as a long-term investment and may be willing to meet his contract demands.

This is a common practice for teams in contract stalemates, especially with older players. Taking calls on Watt is unlikely to inspire the Steelers to trade him, but it will clarify his value around the league and help them hone in on agreeable extension terms.

Of course, it is possible that another team could blow the Steelers away with their offer and get newly-extended general manager Omar Khan to consider moving the four-time All-Pro. Teams in similar situations have reverse course once the trade compensation hits the table, and Pittsburgh’s desire to add a top quarterback prospect in the 2026 draft may make them more willing to consider a deal. It’s worth noting, however, that interested teams are likely contenders who will only get better by adding Watt, capping the value of their draft picks, which will likely be late in the round.

The expectation remains that Watt and the Steelers will find a way to agree on terms before the season starts. Watt skipped OTAs and minicamp, but is not expected to hold out from training camp. However, he has never expressed any desire to leave Pittsburgh and seems unlikely to demand a trade to fulfill his financial wishes.

Players To Spend Season On Franchise Tag Since 2015

The Chiefs and Trey Smith have just less than 48 hours to agree on a long-term extension; otherwise, the Pro Bowl guard will play on the franchise tag and negotiations will be tabled until 2026. That is 2025’s only tag situation as the July 15 deadline approaches.

Over the previous 10 offseasons, 77 players received the franchise tag. Many of those signed extensions before the midsummer deadline. Here are the players who did not and ended up playing the season for the tag price:

2015

Pierre-Paul’s infamous fireworks accident led to Giants rescinding $14.8MM tag, setting up revised agreement 

2016

2017

2018

Bell did not collect any money on his 2018 tag, being the 21st century’s lone franchise-tagged player to skip season

2019

Texans applied $15.9MM linebacker tag on Clowney, trading him to Seahawks in August 2019; edge rusher agreed to salary reduction upon being dealt

2020

Ravens, Judon agreed on compromise between defensive end, linebacker tag prices. Ngakoue agreed to salary reduction to facilitate trade from Jaguars. Vikings traded edge rusher to Ravens before 2020 deadline. Prescott received exclusive franchise tag from Cowboys.

2021

2022

2023

Raiders provided raise to Jacobs to bring him into training camp

2024

Steelers Made Decision To Trade WR George Pickens Immediately After 2024 Season

Following a four-game losing streak to close the regular season, during which the offense put up 107-, 198-, 162-, and 119-yard passing performances. Following the subsequent road playoff exit at the hands of a division rival that passed it for the division lead over those final four games with a four-game winning streak, Pittsburgh knew it had to improve its passing attack. It started with a single trade, but according to NFL Insider Adam Caplan of FOX Sports Radio (h/t Steelers Depot), the Steelers always knew that two trades were going to take place.

Early in the 2024 NFL offseason, the Steelers made a decision about a position they take a lot of pride in. Watching the offense flounder and fumble away a home playoff game, the team looked to improve its receiving corps. It started in early-March, when the Steelers traded for former Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf before the start of the new league year. While many looked at the roster as adequately improved, now sporting a pair of Metcalf and George Pickens backed by Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, the Steelers had made the move with the intention of trading Pickens already in mind.

That’s right, Pittsburgh knew that early that it was moving on from Pickens. In the words of Caplan, the team “made a decision at the end of the 2024 season that they knew that they were not going to extend (Pickens’) contract.” Caplan told listeners, “There was no way this would work with Pickens, they felt, and they were going to move him for whatever they could get. The best they could get. And Dallas was very interested, and they made that work.”

The Cowboys were also in a desperate search for improvement as they sought a suitable WR2 to pair with star receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys made an early offer for Pickens in the days after the Metcalf-trade, but thought they’d try their luck with the draft when the Steelers didn’t bite. Dallas also inquired into trading for Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Bateman, also going into the final year of his rookie deal, opted to stay put and signed a three-year, $36.75MM extension to remain in Baltimore.

The Steelers, on the other hand, had already done their research on the prospective pass catchers in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite having a penchant for uncovering diamonds in the middle rounds of the draft, there were no prospects that the Steelers liked at the values which they were predicted to fall to. In fact, this lack of faith in the draft solving their problems led to the team’s decision to trade for Metcalf. Once Dallas also failed to find anyone at a value they felt was reasonable in the draft, the Cowboys came back with an upped offer, and the Steelers happily accepted.

The plan was never to play Metcalf and Pickens together; Pickens had become a headache in the building, and the two’s style of play are altogether all too similar. An extension was not in the cards for the 24-year-old, so Pittsburgh took a stab at a more proven 27-year-old asset and signed him to a four-year, $132MM extension. It wasn’t a one-for-one, put the team was even able to replenish some of the picks it sent to Seattle with the picks it received from Dallas and was able to replace a troubling, young receiver on the last year of his contract with a proven veteran signed through the 2029 season.

The Steelers played their cards fairly close to their chest, and they played them extremely well. They got the exact improvements for which they were hoping, and even did best by Pickens and the Cowboys, who may both be in a better situation now as a result. It’s not often the full details come out so soon after the dominos finish falling, but with the recent hindsight being nearly 20/20 on these Steelers’ trades, they appear artfully crafted from here.

Kyle Juszczyk On Steelers Interest, 49ers Stay

Despite taking a visit to the Steelers, 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk never wanted to leave San Francisco when he was briefly made a free agent in March.

“It was the worst three days of my life, but I’m genuinely grateful for it now,” said Jusczyzk in an interview with The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. Even though he knew “the door wasn’t shut” when he was released by the 49ers, he still said his goodbyes and considered other options.

While there was interest from other teams, Juszczyk accepted an invitation from the Steelers and met with head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

“It was a different experience,” said Juszczyk of his visit to Pittsburgh. “It was a chance to go look at a different team and I felt a lot of love from them. I got excited for a second about what possibly could be, about new beginnings and fitting into a new offense, all that type of stuff.”

However, Juszcyzk could not envision himself playing anywhere except San Francisco, and a few days later, he signed a two-year, $7.5MM deal to return for his ninth season with the 49ers. With $7MM of guaranteed money – including $3.15MM in the second year – he is confident that he will not have to deal with a similar situation next offseason.

Instead, he will have two more years as a moveable blocking and receiving weapon in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, which is expecting a bounce-back year with the return of Christian McCaffrey.

Jusczyzk said that McCaffrey is “arguably the best player in the NFL” and “changes everything” for the 49ers offense. Both participated in the team’s offseason workouts, though McCaffrey’s workload is being carefully managed after his recent injury woes.

“He looks so healthy, he looks so explosive,” said Juszcyzk.

Steelers Hesitant About T.J. Watt Extension Based On Late-2024 Performances?

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.

Checking In On Unresolved Edge Rusher Situations

At the offseason’s outset, we projected the edge rusher market — which had not moved too much aside from Nick Bosa‘s contract since T.J. Watt‘s 2021 extension — would take center stage due to the volume of marquee players entering contract years. The fireworks have not disappointed.

The Raiders entered the fray despite having Maxx Crosby contracted for two more seasons, and their early play led the Browns to make the same move — one that took Myles Garrett off the trade block. Garrett’s $40MM-per-year number — which led to Ja’Marr Chase‘s asking price changing, as the title of “highest-paid non-quarterback” gains steam in the NFL — still leads the way at his position, but a glut of edge rushers are still deep in negotiations.

Although both Odafe Oweh and Kwity Paye are heading into their fifth-year option seasons, rumors of negotiations have not emerged involving the Ravens and Colts edge players. Those situations are worth monitoring, but front-burner matters involving All-Pro-caliber rushers — and one curious rookie case — have produced a wave of headlines this offseason. As training camps near, here is where everything stands:

Trey Hendrickson, Bengals

The messiest of these situations has brought a staredown. Although the Bengals have seen a few players (Tee Higgins, Jonah Williams, Germaine Pratt) request trades in recent years, they have not buckled. Hendrickson, though, levied accusations against the team at OTAs and is prepared to sit out regular-season games. This came after executive VP Katie Blackburn‘s comments taking issue with Hendrickson’s stance. Highlighted by the Carson Palmer standoff 14 years ago, the Bengals have not been known to cave. But the team seemingly went from being prepared to move on from Higgins to paying its No. 2 wideout after Joe Burrow‘s crusade. Burrow has stumped for Hendrickson as well.

Trade rumors here have died down, despite the Bengals giving Hendrickson’s camp permission to shop around. The Bengals rejected multiple offers, and teams viewed the Bengals’ asking price — believed to be at least a first-round pick — as unrealistic since an acquiring team would need to hand out a monster extension as well. Hendrickson made it clear early in the offseason he wanted either a Bengals extension or to be traded to a team that would authorize one; months have passed without either resolution, leading to frustration from a player who has anchored Cincinnati’s pass rush since signing in 2021.

Hendrickson, 30, went public after no talks commenced in the weeks following the draft and made it known he would extend his holdout into the regular season. The Bengals are likely betting the 2024 sack leader will cave rather than miss game checks, and they have not offered a $35MM-per-year deal — which would surpass Bosa and land in the range Crosby set — to their top defender.

The Bengals also have a long-held precedent of not guaranteeing salary beyond Year 1, joining the Packers and Steelers in that approach. Though, Cincy bent for Chase and Burrow. The team is aiming to give Hendrickson another one-year deal, after extending him (one year, $21MM) in 2023; the ninth-year vet wants a true extension, even if he is not expecting to match Garrett’s Browns terms.

Cincinnati paid Geno Atkins at 30 and Carlos Dunlap at 29 in 2018, authorizing third contracts for both. Hendrickson will be 31 by season’s end, adding urgency to his situation. The team saw its defense regress in 2024, denying an MVP-caliber Burrow season and Chase’s triple-crown showing from producing a playoff berth. Hendrickson has leverage of denying his services to prop up a defense that needs to improve to better the Bengals’ chances at making the playoffs for the first time since 2022. But the sides are not close to an agreement.

Aidan Hutchinson, Lions

Hendrickson’s price may well change if other rushers land deals that move the bar; Hutchinson is a player to monitor here. The Lions acted early with Penei Sewell, giving the All-Pro right tackle a deal that topped both tackle markets in April 2024. Sewell still resides as the NFL’s highest-paid RT. Hutchinson enters his fourth training camp in position to top the EDGE market, as he is going into an age-25 season. He is also now fully cleared from the broken leg that ended his 2024 season early.

The Lions made it known they were preparing to extend Hutchinson, and fifth-year GM Brad Holmes acknowledged the price could change as other extensions are completed at the position around the league. Hutchinson’s second contract will almost definitely come in north of $40MM per year, as he is nearly five years younger than Garrett. The Lions lacking a proven presence opposite the former No. 2 overall pick also increases his leverage, and the sides are expected to accelerate talks now that a full recovery has taken place.

Detroit striking first here likely would provide a discount. The NFL’s 2023 pressures leader, Hutchinson showing All-Pro-level form again would up his price come 2026. Even with the team having Hutchinson signed through 2026 via the fifth-year option, waiting until the option year could lead to a notably higher price if/once Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt receive their big-ticket extensions before Week 1.

Micah Parsons, Cowboys

Considering how the Cowboys played it with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, this situation has generated headlines since Parsons became extension-eligible in January 2024. Parsons, 26, is a three-time All-Pro who is the top player on a team. Trade rumors emerged in 2024, but they fizzled fairly early. Even as the Cowboys paid Prescott and Lamb on top-market deals, with the QB breaking new ground by reaching $60MM AAV, Parsons has long been expected to receive an extension. Once again, however, the Cowboys are dragging their feet. This routine has even surprised Parsons, who said the Cowboys waiting once again will lead his price to rise.

Parsons said during the Cowboys’ 2024 offseason program he was fine waiting until his contract year to sign a new deal, and he expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender. Although the Penn State-developed dynamo missed time due to injury in 2024, nothing has really changed regarding that ask. Parsons floated out what appeared to be a $50MM-per-year ask by the spring. It is unlikely the Cowboys will go there, but the fifth-year rusher admitted his price has already risen based on the Crosby and Garrett deals. Parsons’ age and early-career performance work in his favor, and he just saw his top two teammates lead the Cowboys to breaking on their usual term-length aim.

Both Prescott and Lamb secured four-year extensions, being the rare high-profile Cowboys to land deals shorter than five years. Term length is an issue for Dallas with Parsons, but five- and six-year deals are largely avoided now. Only one free agent (Will Fries) agreed to even a five-year deal this year; the cap’s record growth has led players to prefer shorter-term pacts to cash in again sooner. Rumblings of Parsons and Jerry Jones being in step on price emerged, but no reports of a true agreement have come out.

Parsons is still holding out hope for an extension to be done by training camp, even as Cowboys delays have been much discussed, and it represented a good sign he attended the team’s offseason program and participated at points. A hold-in still should be considered likely until a deal is done.

Shemar Stewart, Bengals

The Bengals have managed to pay both Chase and Higgins while still seeing many question their commitment. The team has attempted to distance itself from a frugal reputation; its handling of the Hendrickson and Stewart situations has made that difficult.

While Hendrickson is amid a classic holdout, Stewart is at odds with his new team over minor contract language. He and Broncos safety Jahdae Barron are the only unsigned first-rounders. Barron signed a waiver that allowed him to participate in Denver’s offseason program; Stewart and the Bengals could not accomplish that. This created a situation in which the Bengals’ top two D-ends were not on the field for offseason work.

Language included in the Bengals’ rookie waiver did not sit well with Stewart, who left minicamp early after voicing confusion about the team’s overall goal. The Bengals want to include a clause in Stewart’s contract “that causes a default in the current year to trigger a default in all remaining years.” Stewart also expressed an issue with bonus payments, as his contract would not match the bonus schedule of 2023 and ’24 Cincy first-rounders Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims. Stewart’s agent wants to negotiate this or potentially secure his client a concession rather than the Bengals making an all-or-nothing crusade on this minor matter.

Regardless of how the sides got here, this is not a good place to start — especially given the Hendrickson situation and the team’s poor 2024 defensive showing. Stewart will be attached to a fully guaranteed $18.96MM rookie deal. Offset language has played a role in some of the few holdouts in the rookie-scale era, but the 2011 CBA largely did away with rookie standoffs. The Bengals’ past shows they are unlikely to budge here, putting the onus on Stewart to accept the team’s terms. But this relationship has endured a seemingly unnecessary early hiccup.

T.J. Watt, Steelers

Watt separated from Parsons’ track by skipping minicamp. This also diverges from the All-Pro’s 2021 course, when he staged a hold-in at minicamp and training camp. More material on Watt’s negotiations has come out this time around; the prospect of a training camp holdout — a practice largely curbed by the 2020 CBA — looms. Watt, 30, is aiming to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender. His resume warrants a commitment on this level, but as of this week, no deal is close. Guarantees are an issue this time around.

The Steelers ended Watt’s hold-in days before the 2021 season, reaching a then-market-setting extension (four years, $112MM). More importantly, Pittsburgh gave Watt $80MM fully guaranteed. This broke the team’s non-QB precedent of not providing guaranteed salary beyond Year 1. With Garrett securing $40MM ahead of his age-30 season, Watt (31 in October) naturally wants what his 2017 draft classmate received. Watt can use the threat of not playing — the Steelers are 1-10 in games he has missed — against a team hellbent on changing its recent one-and-done playoff pattern, having signed Aaron Rodgers and traded for D.K. Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, and Jonnu Smith.

With this situation still unresolved when the team made the trades with the Dolphins, buzz about teams looking into Watt circulated. The team is undeterred. Moving Watt would seemingly be a nonstarter for the Steelers, as it would make little sense to add the cast of veterans they have only to deal away their best player. Even if the Steelers could use a second first-round pick as ammo to trade up for a 2026 QB prospect — after Rodgers’ expected retirement — trading Watt now would severely wound the 2025 team’s chances.

It will be interesting to see if Watt holds out, as the Steelers famously do not negotiate in-season. That separates these talks from the other three veterans’ negotiations. A resolution will happen by Week 1, and it is still expected Pittsburgh will pay up. As it stands, though, the sides are apart on both guarantees and term length. A 2026 franchise tag would become necessary in the event no agreement is reached, but with the team not having negotiated in-season since 1993, a Watt threat to miss regular-season games — no such threat has come out yet — would carry more weight. Both parties want an extension done by camp, but hurdles remain.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

The NFL’s 2025 HC carousel brought five new sideline leaders; this year’s GM market eventually featured four new hires. Two teams made quick-trigger decisions involving front office bosses this offseason.

Not long after the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce, they booted Tom Telesco — brought in to give the inexperienced HC a seasoned GM — after just one season. New minority owner Tom Brady, who certainly appears to have downplayed his Raiders role in a recent interview, wanted a fresh start. That meant firing Telesco despite the GM’s Brock Bowers draft choice last year. John Spytek, an ex-Brady Michigan teammate who was with the Buccaneers when the team signed the QB icon, replaced him. Formerly the Chargers’ front office boss, Telesco had entered every season in a GM chair since 2013.

Ran Carthon received two years in charge in Tennessee, but owner Amy Adams Strunk — a year after the surprise Mike Vrabel firing — moved on and arranged an interesting power structure this offseason. The Titans installed Chad Brinker, who had been one of Carthon’s two assistant GMs, as president of football operations. The ex-Carthon lieutenant holds final say over new hire Mike Borgonzi, who did run the Titans’ draft this year. Borgonzi, who interviewed for the Jets’ GM job as well, comes over after a lengthy Chiefs tenure.

The in-season Joe Douglas firing brought a Jets GM change for the first time in six years. As Woody Johnson overreach became a regular talking point in New York, the Jets started over with Darren Mougey. Johnson changed up his workflow upon hiring Mougey, however. Rather than the GM directly reporting to the owner (as Douglas had), both Mougey and Aaron Glenn will do so. Mougey, though, does control the roster.

Telesco’s January firing left Trent Baalke as the NFL’s lone second-chance GM. The Jaguars had kept Baalke despite firing Doug Pederson, but as the team’s coaching search brought significant concerns from candidates about the presence of the resilient GM, Shad Khan eventually made a change. This move came after top HC candidate Liam Coen initially turned down a second interview, doing so after Ben Johnson concerns about the situation circulated. Gladstone is now in place as the NFL’s youngest GM, at 34, coming over from the Rams.

This offseason also brought three GM extensions — for Jason Licht, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Omar Khan. Licht is heading into his 12th season at the helm. Adofo-Mensah joined Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell in being extended this offseason. Also a 2022 GM hire/promotion, Khan signed a Steelers extension this week.

Although Jerry Jones and Mike Brown have been in place longer, the Cowboys and Bengals’ owners hold de facto GM titles. Mickey Loomis is not only the longest-tenured pure GM in the NFL; the Saints boss trails only Hall of Famer Tex Schramm as the longest-tenured pure GM in NFL history. Hired four years before Sean Payton in New Orleans, Loomis heads into his 24th season at the controls. Loomis hired his third HC as a GM (Kellen Moore) in February.

Here is how long every GM has been in place across the NFL:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2025
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020; signed extension in 2024
  16. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  17. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  18. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021; agreed to extension in 2024
  19. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  20. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  21. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  22. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022; signed extension in 2025
  23. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022; signed extension in 2025
  24. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  25. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  26. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  27. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  28. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024
  29. Mike Borgonzi (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2025
  30. John Spytek (Las Vegas Raiders): January 22, 2025
  31. Darren Mougey (New York Jets): January 24, 2025
  32. James Gladstone (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 21, 2025

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Steelers, T.J. Watt Not Close To Extension Agreement

JULY 5: During a Saturday appearance on SportsCenter (video link), ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported both term length and guarantees are a sticking point in this case. Team and player will thus need to make considerable progress on multiple fronts over the coming weeks if a deal is to be struck in time for training camp.

JULY 3: Throughout the offseason, it has become clear that T.J. Watt and the Steelers have not had a smooth process with respect to extension talks. Since the former Defensive Player of the Year’s absence from minicamp, uncertainty has picked up regarding his future.

Team and player have publicly expressed a desire to work out a third contract, one which will bring about a raise from the $21.05MM Watt is currently owed for 2025. The four-time All-Pro could move to the top of the pecking order amongst defensive players once his new pact is signed, but it remains unclear when that will take place. Surprising as a trade may be, it is also yet to be seen if Watt will indeed stay in Pittsburgh moving forward.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Watt and the Steelers are “nowhere close” to a deal at this point. Time remains until training camp for progress to be made, of course, but the financial gap present in this case has added to the interest shown by outside teams. Suitors have reached out to Pittsburgh about a potential trade even though hammering out an extension is still the priority for general manager Omar Khan and Co.

During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan (audio link), Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed Watt is currently unhappy with the nature of contract talks. At least one offer of unknown value has been submitted, and to no surprise the matter of guarantees will be a sticking point in negotiations. Fittipaldo predicted an extension will be the outcome in this situation while adding “nothing is off the table” with regard to a potential trade.

Watt led the NFL in sacks for the third time in a four-year span in 2023. His production in that respect slipped last season, one in which he still managed to top the league with six forced fumbles. At the age of 30, the Steelers will need to weigh the risks of a drop-off in play with age to a much larger extent this time around compared to their 2021 Watt investment. That deal came about after a lengthy negotiating process, and it appears the situation will not be much different this summer.

Myles Garrett leads the way with a $40MM AAV amongst edge rushers. The Steelers – a team which has done away with standard operating procedure this offseason in terms of roster moves – could wind up matching or surpassing that figure in Watt’s case. If that is to happen, however, considerable progress will need to be made over the coming weeks.

2025 Offseason In Review Series

Here are PFR’s breakdowns of each NFL team’s 2025 offseason. The list will be updated between now and Week 1.

AFC East

  • Buffalo Bills
  • Miami Dolphins
  • New England Patriots
  • New York Jets

AFC North

  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Minnesota Vikings

NFC South

NFC West

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks