It’s questionable why the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t signed T.J. Watt to a massive extension. Watt, arguably one of the best edge rushers in the NFL, is still 30 years old, and he has been a very productive player for the Steelers throughout his career, since he debuted in 2017. Watt posted 11.5 sacks in 2024, after posting 19.0 in 2023 and 22.5 in 2022.
He’ll be paid like the top edge rusher in the NFL, and rightfully so. According to a recent report from Ray Fittipaldo of the Post-Gazette, however, it’s now suggested that things could get ugly if the Steelers don’t sign him soon. He added that the Steelers know the market is set with the Cleveland Browns signing Myles Garrett to a four-year, $160 million deal.
“Unfortunately for the Steelers the Browns set the market. It’s not really a matter of whether he’s worth it or not. It’s the business side of football. You can make an argument many of the top-paid QBs aren’t worth the money they make, but the market is set. Either you pay or you move on to another player. And I just don’t see the Steelers moving on from Watt unless the negotiation gets really ugly,” he wrote.
Is an Extension Imminent?
Regarding when a contract could come, another report suggested that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be patient with this deal. It was added that it isn’t even Memorial Day yet, and the Steelers understand that they have time to get something done. As long as the deal is done before training camp, both sides should be content with how things are going.
The Cleveland Browns, however, didn’t take this approach, despite Garrett’s trade request.
“Patience. 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,” Bob Labriola of the Steelers wrote.
Get It Done Before the Market Resets Again
While being patient could work in the long run for the Steelers, it’d be in their best interest to get a deal done before Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys signs his contract.
Parsons, one of the top Edge rushers in the NFL, is only 25. For that reason alone, he’ll likely get a bigger deal than Watt and Parsons. The issue, however, is that if the Steelers wait to extend him until after Parsons signs, there’s a good chance Dallas will reset the market again, and the Steelers will have to give him a bigger contract.
“Pittsburgh failed to extend Watt before Raiders DE Maxx Crosby — who took the edge rusher market to $35 million a year. The Steelers looked hesitation once more right in the face and backed down — but this time, Browns superstar DE Myles Garrett took the number to an absurd $40 million per year.
“It is rumored that Parsons is looking to become the first ever defensive player to receive a $200 million total contract. Offering Watt a three-year, $122 million contract would not only give him bragging rights over Garrett, but also keep the Cowboys star DE from inadvertently destroying the Steelers’ cap space,” Andrew Vasquez of USA Today wrote.
This is all about being smart with the Steelers cap. Waiting this long doesn’t have many benefits outside of trying to get creative.
However, it’s time to call it what it is and give the star his money like the Cleveland Browns did.
