As training camp continues to draw closer, the Pittsburgh Steelers and superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt still have yet to work out a new contract.
Due to the lack of a new deal, rumors have started coming up about a potential trade involving Watt. While that doesn’t appear to be on the table right now, there is some concern beginning to rise about the situation.
Watt is one of the best defensive players in the NFL. He has dominated opposing offenses for years and the Steelers cannot afford to lose him. That being said, he’s wanting to get paid very handsomely.
Pittsburgh clearly wants to keep Watt in town. It’s also apparent that Watt’s first choice would be to remain with the Steelers.
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Can the two sides get something done? That still seems to be the most likely scenario.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter weighed in on the situation recently during a radio appearance. He also sent a stern warning to Pittsburgh about Watt’s contract situation.
Schefter’s response comes about the possible scenario of Watt holding out into the regular season if the two sides can’t come together on a new deal before.
“That’s a long way away. I’m not ready to say anything like that right now,” Schefter said. “If we get to August 8th and it’s still not resolved, well that becomes a little bit more interesting. And if it gets to September 8th, that’s a big problem.”
While it would be shocking to see the two sides end up being unable to come to terms on a new deal, anything is possible. Watt is not going to roll over and give the Steelers a team-friendly contract at this stage of his career. Both sides will need to practice some form of compromise.
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During the 2024 NFL season with Pittsburgh, Watt played in all 17 regular season games. He racked up 61 total tackles to go along with 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four defended passes.
Those numbers came following a 2023 campaign that saw him total 68 tackles, 19 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, an interception, and eight defended passes.
At 30 years old, Watt still has quite a few good years left in the tank. The Steelers need to keep him around. Hopefully, a deal will come to fruition at some point in the near future.
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