Steelers Sign Former Vikings DT Armon Watts

The Steelers are signing former Bears and Vikings defensive tackle Armon Watts, according to his agent David Canter.

Watts, a sixth-round pick out of Arkansas in 2019, spent the first three seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. He would then head over to the Chicago Bears for the 2022 season. In his four NFL seasons, Watts has 22 games started and 57 games played, with three straight consecutive full seasons played.

The 6-foot-5, 307 pounds defensive lineman joins Larry Ogunjobi and Breiden Fehoko as key moves the Steelers have made thus far in the offseason at the defensive line. In his four-year career, Armon Watts has registered eight sacks, including one this last season in Chicago.

Watts was cut from the Vikings in late August, but he was immediately scooped up by the Bears, where he started 12 games. In 2021, Watts posted a career-high 5 sacks. For his career, he has 125 tackles and 15 quarterback hits. He registered a career-high QB Hits in 2021.

The big defensive tackle seeks to add to the depth of the position after the Steelers reshuffled the deck at the position. Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley both hit the open market, and with Wormley coming off a torn ACL, there needed to be some pieces added to the room.

Now, with Ogunjobi’s return and the additions of Fehoko and Watts, it bolsters the depth of the group. Still, they have looked at defensive line prospects closely, showcasing clear interest in Keeanu Benton and Gervon Dexter. Watts played mostly nose tackle for his teams but did slide out to 3-technique at times.

The exact terms of the deal between Watts and the Steelers were not disclosed. Still, it seems to continue to the trend that Pittsburgh wants to beef up the trenches on both sides of the football. That could continue in the NFL Draft where the team can build for the future on both lines as well.