If it wasn’t for the Aaron Rodgers “will he, gained’t he, when will he” continuous circus this offseason, there can be much more speak about whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers and OLB T.J. Watt are going to come back to phrases on a contract extension. Watt has been a sensational go rusher and defensive playmaker because the Steelers made him a first-round choose in 2017.
However Watt’s present contract involves an finish after 2025. You’d assume that may be plastered everywhere in the discussions across the Steelers. However the nationwide media simply desires to speak a few sure quarterback all day, daily.
However CBSSports.com’s Tyler Sullivan thinks that the Steelers ought to completely re-sign Watt. When every NFL group’s prime candidate for an extension, Sullivan tabbed Watt.
“Again in 2021, Watt and the Steelers agreed to a $112 million extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive participant on the time,” Sullivan write. “Now, the star go rusher is getting into the ultimate 12 months of that deal and will once more look to reset the market. If he have been to land such a deal, it’d must exceed Myles Garrett’s $40 million AAV. Watt’s present AAV sits at roughly $28 million, so this is able to be fairly the increase for the 30-year-old. That stated, he deserves it. Since signing that deal, Watt has gained the NFL’s Defensive Participant of the Yr award, added three extra All-Professional [honors] to his résumé and is coming off a 2024 season the place he posted 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six compelled fumbles.”
T.J. Watt has cemented himself as top-of-the-line defensive gamers to ever swimsuit up in Pittsburgh. In 121 profession regular-season video games, he has 108 sacks. He additionally has 462 tackles, 126 tackles for a loss, 225 quarterback hits, 33 compelled fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, seven interceptions, and 49 passes defended. Watt can disrupt video games by dashing the passer or by dropping again in protection. He’s some of the versatile go rushers within the NFL.
There are two major points surrounding an extension. One, it’s going to price loads, as Sullivan wrote. Two, Watt turns 31 in October. And the Steelers are nonetheless struggling to return to contender standing. How for much longer does Watt need to play for a group that isn’t a real Tremendous Bowl contender?
There have been loads of individuals who assume Watt might be a bargaining chip to assist the Steelers rebuild. And former NFL basic supervisor Mike Tannenbaum is a kind of who thinks the Steelers ought to commerce Watt, particularly if they will’t get a star quarterback.
Nonetheless, Steelers followers, take coronary heart. Fellow Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith is unconcerned and totally expects a deal to get achieved. He repeatedly stated that Watt loves and needs to be in Pittsburgh. Possibly he’s targeted on being part of getting this group proper.
However till the ink dries on the contract, T.J. Watt is simply scheduled to be with the Steelers by means of the top of this league 12 months.
