Insider predicts if Steelers will match T.J. Watt's alleged asking price ahead of 2025 season

A recent report indicated that there was "a chance" that Pittsburgh Steelers unsettled pass-rusher T.J. Watt will eventually better the four-year, $160M deal that included $123.5M guaranteed that Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns received earlier this offseason as it pertains to at least average annual value.

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler offered an update on the situation during a "SportsCenter" appearance on Sunday. 

"The Steelers, I’m sensing, are optimistic that they can reach a deal with Watt eventually," Fowler explained, as shared by Barkley Truax of On3. "My sense is that he will probably be the highest-paid pass-rusher in the league. When this is all said and done, he wants to be a Steeler for life. The Steelers want that. He’s a legacy-type player."

Watt thus far has played only for the Steelers since they made him the 30th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. According to the StatMuse website, no player accumulated more total regular-season sacks from 2017-24 than Watt (108.0). Like Garrett, Watt is a one-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner.

It's unclear exactly how much guaranteed money Watt wants attached to his expected extension. He is signed through the 2025 season and could have his rights retained for 2026 via the franchise tag. That said, he stayed away from the Steelers during their mandatory minicamp earlier in June as an apparent protest of the fact that he hadn't yet received a pay raise.

"They believe at 30 years old, he still has several good years left," Fowler added about how the Steelers view Watt. "They’re just going to have to come up with a number and a good guarantee structure. He did miss minicamp, so Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do. But typically, Pittsburgh perks up in these things around training camp and late July." 

For what it's worth, Watt participated only in individual drills back in the summer of 2021 until he and the Steelers agreed to an extension shortly before the start of that season. It's possible Watt could wait to see if either Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys or Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals resets the market before Pittsburgh players report for training camp on July 23. Such a development could result in Watt making more money than he'd receive if he signed an extension before either Parsons or Hendrickson does.