The Pittsburgh Steelers have made plenty of big moves this offseason, but the one they haven’t made has gotten the most attention in recent days. OLB T.J. Watt and the team still haven’t come to terms on an extension, and trade rumors have swirled ever since ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday that teams were trying to trade for Watt. Appearing on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan, The Pat McAfee Show’s Mark Kaboly said he thinks Watt will be playing for the Steelers for the foreseeable future.
“I think this is just all part of the business, part of the negotiation,” Kaboly said about the recent uptick in trade rumors surrounding Watt. “I don’t think anything’s gonna happen here, to be honest with you. We all knew what the number was going to be. We all knew where he wants to be.”
Kaboly reiterated that he thinks Watt will wait until right before the start of the regular season to see if Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson sign extensions and what their contract will be.
A trade of Watt would be downright shocking, and it doesn’t seem as if there’s any real smoke that the team will move him. Especially given the team’s recent moves, acquiring CB Jalen Ramsey, WR DK Metcalf and QB Aaron Rodgers this offseason, trading Watt would seem counter-intuitive to the team’s plans to compete this season.
Ultimately, as Kaboly implied, Watt is going to want more money than Myles Garrett’s $40 million per year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he tops that figure. If he waits to see what Parsons and Hutchinson get, then he may want a deal above them. But at a minimum, clearing $40 million per year seems to be where Watt will end up.
Watt skipped the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp and wasn’t at voluntary OTAs, so his participation during training camp later this month will be something to pay attention to if a deal isn’t reached. During Watt’s first contract dispute with the team, he held in during training camp. That outcome could be the same this year if no deal is reached at the onset of training camp.
At the end of the day, it seems likely that Watt and the Steelers will come to terms on a deal. It just might not happen as soon as both sides would like, but it would be a major surprise if Watt isn’t wearing the Black and Gold in 2025 and beyond.
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