As the saying goes, a picture is worth one thousand words. In the case of Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt on Thursday, all of those words, and then some, came from NFL pundits.
The edge rusher posted a picture of himself delivering a peace sign in a road Steelers jersey to his Instagram story on Wednesday. Watt didn’t provide a caption.
Steelers Nation doesn’t have to worry, though, because plenty of NFL insiders provided their own commentary to the image.
“Watt’s social-media post featuring the seven-time Pro Bowler flashing two fingers in what has morphed from meaning ‘peace’ to ‘peace out’ has prompted speculation that Watt is looking to leave the Steelers,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote. “It’s possible, if not likely, that he’s looking to get paid.
“Demanding a trade worked for Browns defensive end Myles Garrett; he emerged from the escapade with a contract carrying a new-money value of $40 million per year.”
Very unlike him, NFL insider Ian Rapoport didn’t really have any inside information on the Watt social media post. But Rapoport inferred its intended meaning.
“What a player makes a cryptic social media post, it’s almost never nothing. So let’s assume for the sake of argument, for the sake of me actually having a reason to talk about this, that it is something,” Rapoport argued on Thursday’s Good Morning, Football, via Steelers Depot’s Joe Clark.
That speculation has led to writers already proposing trades where the Steelers send Watt to potential contenders for a plethora of draft capital.
Watt’s four-year, $112 million extension he signed in 2021 will expire after the 2025 season.
Steelers, T.J. Watt Contract Negotiations Something to ‘Keep an Eye On’
Florio was quite critical of the Steelers in his assessment of the Watt social media post. The NFL insider used a 40-year-old pop culture reference from a movie people didn’t exactly go see in droves when it came out to take a shot at the franchise over its pursuit of Aaron Rodgers.
But Florio’s overall point wasn’t wrong. The Steelers have had other priorities this offseason instead of Watt’s extension.
Watt’s post could have simply been a public reminder to the team not to forget about him.
“Quiet loyalty and consistency get taken for granted. Squeaky wheels get greased,” Florio wrote. “Watt’s two-finger gesture seems to be the first loud noise aimed at getting the Steelers to prioritize his situation.”
Again, Rapoport didn’t have a concrete update. The NFL insider, though, appeared to make a strong guess.
“I think we can safely say that contract negotiations between T.J. Watt and the Steelers are not off to a rip-roaring start,” Rapoport said. “Doesn’t mean they won’t get there; they’ve gotten there before.”
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly provided a more hopeful update for Pittsburgh. However, Kaboly didn’t exactly say Watt’s post was much to do about nothing.
“After talking to people, I’d keep an eye on this Steelers T.J. Watt contract situation moving forward a little more closely,” tweeted Kaboly. “It doesn’t appear that the IG picture he posted yesterday was just by chance.
“I’d imagine an extension is still going to eventually get done, but that price tag just might be a tad bit higher than some anticipated.”
How Much Could Signing the All-Pro Edge Rusher Cost Steelers?
It’s not surprising that the Steelers haven’t already signed Watt to a contract extension. In 2021, the two sides didn’t agree to a new deal until three days before the regular season began.
But to Florio’s point, the Steelers could have benefitted from prioritizing Watt’s next deal a little more.
Edge rushers Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby both signed multi-year extensions this offseason that will pay them more than $35 million per season. Furthermore, veteran edge rusher Danielle Hunter received a one-year, $35.6 million deal this offseason.
With his last contract, Watt became the highest-paid defender in the NFL with an average annual salary of $28 million. It’s possible Watt will want to beat Garrett’s new record of $40 million per season.
Rapoport argued Watt is worth every penny. Based on his past production, Rapoport is absolutely right.
But the question is how elite will Watt remain into his thirties when his next contract expires? That could be the sticking point for the Steelers.
It’s a problem partially of the Steelers own making, though. Before this offseason, the highest-paid defender in the NFL was Nick Bosa at $34 million per season.
