Steelers Exercise T.J. Watt’s Fifth-Year Option
The fifth-year option on T.J. Watt‘s contract has been picked up, according to a press release from the Steelers. With that, the linebacker will be under club control through the 2021 season. 
[RELATED: Steelers’ Dupree Signs Franchise Tender]
Watt, the younger brother of J.J. Watt, stepped out of his brother’s shadow while keeping with the family legacy of hard-nosed defense. Originally a tight end at Wisconsin, he switched to the other side of the ball midway through his career and delivered tremendous results off the edge. In 2016 – his first year as a starter – he notched 11.5 sacks. At the pro level, he’s gotten better and better each year.
In 2019, Watt managed 14.5 sacks and a league-leading eight forced fumbles en route to his best season yet. All in all, he’s got 34.5 career sacks, 177 stops, and 15 forced fumbles across three years. The exact figure on his option is not yet known, since he was drafted outside of the Top 10. Whatever the number is, it won’t be enough. Watt and the Steelers are expected to discuss an extension sooner rather than later to position him as one of the highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL. Meanwhile, he says his best work is still on the horizon.
“It’s just working hard and getting more and more experience,” said Watt. “This was my second year playing the left side. I am just growing and learning how I can approach the game better, find out what works better for me as far as film study, practice and preparation. Hopefully I can keep taking those jumps as I progress in my career.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/26/20
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed exclusive rights tenders: WR Jake Kumerow, DT Tyler Lancaster
Houston Texans
- Signed: LS Anthony Kukwa
New England Patriots
- Released: Keionta Davis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: RB Darrin Hall, WR Jamal Custis, S Tray Matthews
Davis signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and spent two of the past three seasons on injured reserve. He played a significant role on the 2018 team, starting three out of the six games he appeared in and winning Super Bowl LIII with the team. He was just re-signed last month, but didn’t last long.
All three of the players Pittsburgh cut spent time on their practice squad last year, but none of them have appeared in a regular season game yet.
Steelers Sign 10 UDFAs
The same night the draft ended, the Steelers officially announced their initial 10-man undrafted free agent class:
- FB Spencer Nigh (Auburn)
- OG Christian Montano (Tulane)
- DB Trajan Bandy (Miami (Fla.))
- DB James Pierre (Florida Atlantic)
- LB James Lockhart (Baylor)
- LB Leo Lewis (Mississippi State)
- LB John Houston (Southern California)
- DE Josiah Coatney (Mississippi)
- DE Calvin Taylor (Kentucky)
- P Corliss Waitman (South Alabama/Mississippi State)
Pittsburgh went very heavy on defense. None of these guys are huge name, although a few are notable. Lewis was a four-year starter in the SEC which is always impressive, and Houston was a team captain at USC.
Steelers’ Bud Dupree Signs Franchise Tender
Linebacker Bud Dupree has signed his franchise tender, according to an announcement from the Steelers. Assuming he’s tagged as a linebacker, Dupree will be slated to earn over $16MM. If he pushes back and manages to get tagged at the defensive end position, he’ll be set for $18MM+.
Of course, Dupree and the Steelers will have until July 15 to hash out a long-term contract regardless of the tag value, and given that Pittsburgh is right up against the cap, both player and team are likely hoping they can get that done. Though Dupree had not exactly lived up to his billing as a 2015 first-round draft choice prior to the 2019 campaign, he had a terrific platform year, piling up a career-best 11.5 sacks while also displaying some ability in setting the edge against the run.
Though there was some thought that the Steelers could look to trade Dupree after slapping him with the franchise tag, that no longer appears to be in play. Instead, the club will head into the 2020 campaign (and probably beyond) with a fearsome Dupree-T.J. Watt combo that will keep opposing QBs awake at night. Indeed, the Steelers ranked third in defensive DVOA last season (first against the pass), and if they can get a healthy season out of QB Ben Roethlisberger, they could certainly make a return trip to the playoffs.
If the two sides do work out a multi-year pact, it would not be surprising to see the Kentucky product land something in the neighborhood of a five-year, $80MM deal, with around $30MM or so fully-guaranteed. That might seem high for a player who hasn’t made a Pro Bowl yet, but given the importance of edge rushers and Dupree’s well-timed breakout, it would be in line with his open market value.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFL Draft Rumors: Falcons, Steelers, Cowboys
The Falcons could be the most aggressive team in the NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter). Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that GM Thomas Dimitroff went big on draft day – he gambled, and hit the jackpot, with his move up for Julio Jones in 2011. This time around, he could be looking to land one of the draft’s premier cornerbacks. As Mort notes, the Falcons will have to play against the likes of Tom Brady and Teddy Bridgewater this year. An elite defender like Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah or Florida’s C.J. Henderson could give them the artillery they need to keep up in the NFC South.
More draft rumblings from around the league:
- The Steelers don’t have a first-round pick, but head coach Mike Tomlin says he isn’t “fretting at all” (Twitter link via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com). The Steelers turned that selection into Minkah Fitzpatrick back in September and the former Fins cornerback rewarded them with a first-team All-Pro season. Pittsburgh will have to make the most of their remaining picks, especially since they rank near the bottom of the league in available cap room.
- Despite the Steelers featuring Joe Haden, Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton, they have drafted a cornerback in ten of the past eleven drafts. They also used a third-round pick on Justin Layne last year. Pittsburgh is slated to hold the No. 49 overall pick. After that, a compensatory selection landed in Round 3 (at No. 104). Should the Steelers feel compelled to further bolster this position, however, that move would more likely come on Day 3, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (subscription required).
- The Cowboys have done “a ton of work” on Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com hears. After racking up 17.5 sacks and 37 hurries over the last two seasons while providing solid work against the run, Gross-Matos is in demand.
2020 NFL Draft Picks By Team
The 2020 NFL Draft is just days away and it’s just a matter of time before picks are swapped and shuffled at lightning speed. Before the trading frenzy starts, let’s take a look at the draft picks owned by each team.
[RELATED: 2020 NFL Draft Order By Round]
Updated: 4-17-20 (5:00pm CT)
Arizona Cardinals
1-8:
3-72:
4-114:
4-131: (from Houston)
6-202: (from New England)
7-222:
Atlanta Falcons
1-16:
2-47:
3-78:
4-119:
4-143: (from Baltimore*)
7-228: (from Tampa Bay, via Philadelphia)
Baltimore Ravens
1-28:
2-55: (from Atlanta, via New England)
2-60:
3-92:
3-106*:
4-129: (from New England)
4-134:
5-170: (from Minnesota)
7-225: (from Jets)
Buffalo Bills
2-54:
3-86:
4-128:
5-167:
6-188: (from Cleveland)
6-207: (from Baltimore via New England)
7-239: (from Minnesota)
2020 NFL Draft Capital By Team
Every NFL team automatically gets seven draft picks per season, but thanks to lots of trades and the compensatory pick process, many clubs end up with more (or less) than their original seven selections. After running down the NFL Draft round-by-round, let’s take a look at how much draft capital each club has amassed:
Updated: 4-16-20 (6:00pm CT)
14 picks
- Miami Dolphins
12 picks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Minnesota Vikings
- New England Patriots
10 picks
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Giants
9 picks
- Baltimore Ravens
- Detroit Lions
8 picks
- Carolina Panthers
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
7 picks
- Buffalo Bills
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Washington Redskins
6 picks
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Titans
5 picks
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New Orleans Saints
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/16/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: DB Sherrick McManis
New England Patriots
- Signed RFA tender: OL Jermaine Eluemunor
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: RB Dwayne Washington
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Breon Borders, T Anthony Coyle, C John Keenoy, DB Arrion Springs
Steelers Sign WR Saeed Blacknall
The Steelers announced that they’ve agreed to terms with wide receiver Saeed Blacknall, who formerly suited up for the XFL’s Los Angeles Wildcats.
Pittsburgh has shown a proclivity to sign former XFLers, and Blacknall becomes the sixth member of the now-closed league to land with the Steelers. Blacknall joins defensive end Dewayne Hendrix, linebacker Christian Kuntz, offensive tackle Jarron Jones, safety Tyree Kinnel, and defensive tackle Cavon Walker as XFL alums on Pittsburgh’s roster.
Blacknall, 24, latched on with the Raiders in 2018 after going undrafted out of Penn State. He bounced on and off Oakland’s practice squad during his rookie season, but did manage one regular season appearance on the club’s active roster.
In 2019, Blacknall spent time with the Dolphins and Cardinals, but didn’t see any game action. He was drafted by the Wildcats in November and appeared in three of the team’s five games, catching four passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
2020 NFL Cap Room By Team
The biggest names in NFL free agency might be off the board, but there are still plenty of noteworthy players on the board and high-profile cuts on the way. And, while some teams did their spending early, others are still sitting on lots of cash.
The latest cap figures from OverTheCap show that several teams are poised to pounce in the latter waves of free agency, starting with the Browns. The numbers also show that teams like the Rams still have work to do in order to sign their upcoming draft class. Also, the Eagles’ 2020 figure doesn’t quite tell the whole story – thanks to high-priced multi-year deals including Darius Slay’s new contract, they’re already overcommitted on dollars for 2021.
Here’s the complete rundown for all 32 teams, in descending order of cap space:
- Browns – $40.2MM
- Lions – $29.5MM
- Eagles – $27.1MM
- Colts – $24MM
- Dolphins – $23.9MM
- Redskins – $23.8MM
- Chargers – $22.3MM
- Titans – $21.5MM
- Bills – $20.9MM
- Texans – $18.6MM
- Broncos – $17.5MM
- Giants – $17.1MM
- Jets – $15.5MM
- Jaguars – $14.6MM
- Cowboys – $13.6MM
- Buccaneers – $13.5MM
- 49ers – $13.4MM
- Seahawks – $12.6MM
- Vikings – $12.3MM
- Ravens – $11.3MM
- Packers – $11.08MM
- Bears – $11.03MM
- Panthers – $9.4MM
- Raiders – $8.8MM
- Bengals – $7.3MM
- Steelers – $7.2MM
- Cardinals – $7MM
- Saints – $5.3MM
- Chiefs – $2.9MM
- Falcons – $2.4MM
- Patriots – $1.2MM
- Rams – (-$5.3MM)