Steelers Nearing Massive Deal for Superstar LB?

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of other fish to fry, extending T.J. Watt still appears to be on the forefront of their minds.

In his latest Steelers chat, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac wrote that there was a "good chance" Watt would agree to a new deal with the team before the start of the new league year on March 12.

The 30-year-old was once the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history after signing a four-year deal worth $112 million in Sept. 2021.

Watt is now entering the final season of that contract while carrying a cap hit of $30.418 million despite having no guaranteed salary, per Over the Cap.

He remains one of the more well-compensated edge rushers in the league, as his deal ranks fifth in total value and fourth in average annual value per OTC, with both numbers set to rise rather significantly on his next contract. Many expect his contract to be well north of $30 million per season, with $35-plus million being a more realistic number.

Pittsburgh would save $15.836 million against the cap in 2025 should it extend Watt, while he would also likely reclaim his crown as the game's top-paid pass rusher, making it a win-win for the two sides.

Watt slowed down near the end of this past campaign, failing to record a sack in four of his final five regular season games, resulting in a fourth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting after logging a total of 11.5 quarterback takedowns and six forced fumbles, the latter of which led the league.

Some have felt as though Watt and the Steelers should move on from one another this offseason, but truth be told, there's little reason why either party would welcome such an outcome.

Watt still has plenty left in the tank, and as a future Hall of Famer who is one of the best players in franchise history, it's hard to see a world where Pittsburgh would let him go elsewhere unless he asked out.

There's zero indication Watt wants to leave, however, and with the Steelers still in position to contend for a playoff spot in 2025, their partnership should remain intact for the foreseeable future.

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