PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers boast one of the top defensive cores in the NFL despite their lackluster offense in recent seasons.

The front of their defense, encompassing linebackers and defensive linemen, is one of the toughest to face and one of the deepest across football.

The star of that group is T.J. Watt, who has been an absolute force since the Steelers drafted him in 2017. Now entering the final year of his second NFL contract, the conversation has begun in regards to a possible extension for him. While an extension during the offseason does not seem incredibly likely due to more pressing issues, the Steelers will still have to work towards an extension eventually.

Bob Labriola, who writes for the Steelers website, has expressed that fans should have patience when it comes to an extension. He cautioned fans about something happening early on, but he is confident a deal will happen this year.

“Patience”, Labriola said. “Signing a superstar such as T.J. Watt to a contract extension is not a simple matter, and so it’s going to take time. Those kinds of things usually take place during the summer, and we’re not even to Memorial Day yet”.

There have also been talks about not extending Watt at all, or trading him in order to get a large haul in return. If the Steelers do not become a competitive team within the coming year, which seems increasingly less likely due to a weak offense, they could be better off sending their future Pro Football Hall Of Famer for a large offensive haul.

Now, the Steelers are effectively at a crossroads this offseason where they really have to figure out what their identity is for the first time in decades. With their big-name prospects all reaching turning points, the Steelers have a tough couple years coming up.