Patriots-Steelers Trade Idea Sends Former DPOY to New England

Could the New England Patriots pry this superstar defender away from the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) takes the field against the New England Patriots at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have already made a plethora of moves to address their defense this offseason, but is it possible that they have another addition up their sleeves?

Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire has offered several potential blockbuster trade acquisitions New England could make before the start of the regular season, and one of them will have Pats fans salivating: Pittsburgh Steelers superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt.

"T.J. Watt is playing on an expiring deal and likely seeking a lucrative extension at 30 years old. Some would argue the Pittsburgh Steelers should consider moving on and rebooting their football team," McElroy wrote.

Now, it should be noted that McElroy did qualify his suggestion by saying that the Steelers are incredibly unlikely to move Watt now that Aaron Rodgers is in tow for one season, so the chances of this happening are very slim.

However, Watt is currently disenchanted with Pittsburgh due to a contract dispute, so it stands to reason that the Steelers could potentially be persuaded to move him if things get particularly dicey between the two sides.

Watt racked up 61 tackles, 11.5 sacks and six forced fumbles last season, placing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. It marked his fifth top-five finish for the award, and he took home the honor back in 2021 when he did Michael Strahan's single-season record with 22.5 sacks.

The former first-round pick has made seven straight Pro Bowl appearances while also earning four First-Team All-Pro selections. He has led the league in sacks three times, most recently doing so in 2023 when he rattled off 19.

What's more, Watt has posted double-digit sacks in six of his last seven seasons, and the only time he didn't achieve the feat during that span was in 2022 when he played in just 10 games.

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