Mark Kaboly, a Steelers reporter for the Pat McCuffy Show, reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers are still negotiating TJ Watt’s contract but have not reached out to other teams to replace their star pass rusher. Kaboly mentioned that while there is progress to be made on an extension, Watt is expected to participate fully when Steelers’ training camp begins on July 23rd.
Watt, 30, is entering the final year of a lucrative four-year, $112 million contract extension signed before the 2022 season. Although he held out during training camp that year, he eventually became the highest-paid defender in the NFL at the time. Watt aims to reclaim that top-paid status, recently surpassed by Browns’ Miles Garrett, who signed a four-year, $160 million deal.
Currently, Watt ranks seventh among NFL pass rushers in average annual salary, earning $28 million per year—nearly $12 million less than Garrett. The Steelers have the salary cap room to make him the highest-paid defender again, but it remains uncertain if they intend to go that route. Despite earning his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection last season, Watt’s performance dipped with 11.5 sacks, down by 7.5 from 2023, including only two sacks during the Steelers’ five-game win streak to end the 2024 season.
Given last year’s finish, the Steelers want to observe Watt’s 2025 performance before committing to a record-breaking contract. They may push Watt to elevate his game further. Most likely, Watt will sign an extension within about a week, though negotiations could take longer due to the sums involved. Although trading Watt is a possibility, it seems unlikely unless contract talks break down and cause Watt to miss playing time. There is no current indication that the Steelers are considering trading their best player.
Fan Take: This contract saga is crucial for NFL fans as TJ Watt is a generational defensive talent whose future impacts the Steelers’ competitive outlook. His decision could set a benchmark for defensive player compensation and influence how teams build their defenses going forward.
