TJ Watt, who is entering the final year of a four-year $112 million contract, has been absent from Steelers OTAs as he campaigns for a new deal.<\/p>\n
Aaron Rodgers\u00a0was a bargain.<\/p>\n
T.J. Watt might not be.<\/p>\n
But if the\u00a0Pittsburgh Steelers\u00a0are really “loading up” to make a run?<\/p>\n
They need the second guy to be happy at least as much as they needed the first.<\/p>\n
Pass rushers have enjoyed a massive jump in the market this\u00a0NFL\u00a0offseason. Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and eventually Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson are all examples of new contracts reaching up near $40 million annually for the position.<\/p>\n
Watt now wants a slice of the pie, too. … and that is presently a problem.<\/p>\n
Watt, who is entering the final year of a four-year $112 million contract, has been\u00a0absent\u00a0from OTAs as he campaigns for a new deal.<\/p>\n
The former Defensive Player of the Year previously had the record for the highest-paid contract at his position when he signed his current deal in 2021. This season without an extension, he’ll make $21.05 million on salary and cost $30.4 million total on the cap.<\/p>\n
The cost of doing business? He wants more.<\/p>\n
Watt, 30, is entering his ninth season in the league and remains one of the game’s best defensive players. In 2024, he totaled 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles.<\/p>\n
He has over the years led the league in sacks a record three times and owns four First Team All-Pro honors to go with his 2021 DPOY.<\/p>\n
There is no question that Pittsburgh wants to keep him here and keep him happy.<\/p>\n
So, what’s the latest?<\/p>\n
Team insider\u00a0Gerry Dulac\u00a0of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has revealed that the “expectation” is that Watt and the Steelers “will come to some agreement” before Pittsburgh opens the 2025 regular season with a matchup at the\u00a0New York Jets\u00a0on Sept. 7.<\/p>\n
Garrett’s deal impact all of this. So does\u00a0\u00a0Pittsburgh trading for wide receiver DK Metcalf from the\u00a0Seattle Seahawks\u00a0and giving him $30 million per year.<\/p>\n
And Rodgers at $13.65 million? That leaves room.<\/p>\n
So it’s a links-in-the-chain setup for\u00a0Watt and Pittsburgh … with fans waiting for that “expectation” to come to fruition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TJ Watt, who is entering the final year of a four-year $112 million contract, has been absent from Steelers OTAs as he campaigns for a new deal…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":56005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n