J.J. Watt in 'No Hurry' to Sign, Leaving Steelers in Hunt for Superstar FA
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't sound super interested in free agent J.J. Watt, at least when general manager Kevin Colbert talked about him.
"T.J. is our guy, Derek [Watt] is with us," Colbert said. "Whether or not we can add anybody, I'd hate to talk about it because it would be just speculation at this point."
It's not out of the question, though. The Steelers might not be a team diving into free agency for a superstar, but having J.J.'s brothers on the roster means there's always a shot.
Watt's priorities also keep Pittsburgh in the mix. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, the 32-year-old free agent is looking for a top-level quarterback, strong supporting cast and then money - in that order.
The Steelers are still working out a decision with Ben Roethlisberger but hope to have their future Hall of Fame quarterback in 2021.
"As we sit here today, Ben [Roethlisberger] is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers," Colbert said.
Quarterback - check.
The Steelers' supporting cast features Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and (hopefully) Tyson Alualu. Oh, and Watt's brother, T.J., who will be pushing for his first Defensive Player of the Year Award after finishing as a finalist for the last two years.
Supporting cast - check.
The problem remains money. The Steelers are roughly $17 million over the $180 million salary cap floor but helped themselves out by restructuring Heyward's deal this past week. The move saved them about $7 million, bringing them to $10 million over the floor.
So, money is a concern. But here's why it's not a total bust.
Werder reported that Watt has received interest from 12 NFL teams since parting ways with the Houston Texans. Colbert didn't address whether the Steelers were one of those teams, but under their current cap situation, it's hard to imagine Pittsburgh reached out that quickly.
Watt joked with a fan on Twitter, telling everyone it's going to take some time for him to decide on a team this offseason.
That, according to Fan Nation's Packer Report, is because his options aren't ideal right now.
"He's not in a hurry because he's not getting the offers he wants," they wrote.
The longer Watt waits, the more time Pittsburgh has to put some extra cash together. It won't be anytime soon, but the Steelers have the ball rolling with their salary cap debacle. Maybe, Watt is waiting to see if they can figure it out.
Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
