What Could Steelers Get for T.J. Watt in Potential Trade?
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt created a stir in Steelers Nation on Wednesday when he posted a photo of himself putting up the peace out sign on his Instagram Story. It got many speculating that contract negotiations have not gone well with the Steelers’ brass and he could want out of Pittsburgh.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network thinks Watt’s cryptic post is a strong indication that he’s not happy with his contract situation. Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett both got massive deals this offseason. Garrett is averaging $40 million per year, while Crosby is making $35.5 million per year.
“Rarely is it actually nothing. Generally, when a player makes a cryptic social media post … it’s almost never nothing,” Rapoport said on Good Morning Football. “T.J. Watt is in a contract negotiation situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers. … Generally, when a player makes a social media post that forces us to talk about it on TV like we’re doing right now, it is because contract negotiations are not going as well as anybody had hoped.”
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network also thinks Watt is getting sick of waiting on Aaron Rodgers’ decision.
“This is not with any knowledge or background, but one, he’s in a contract year. Plainly due for an upgrade. Doesn’t have it yet. Two, I would fairly tell you, T.J. Watt probably is getting a little sick of waiting on the quarterback question, as well,” Pelissero said on the Rich Eisen Show. “It’s the Pittsburgh Steelers, do you want to play here or do you not? Cam Heyward, who proceeded to walk back that several times, when he said, ‘Hey, do you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t? I don’t need to make more of a pitch than that.’ That opinion, from everything I’ve been told, is not solely to Cam Heyward. There are other people, certainly in the organization, the locker room, who are just going like, ‘What are we doing? We’re back for offseason workouts in 10 days. We’re coming up on the draft. What is the plan?’”
Steve Palazzolo said on 93.7 The Fan that Watt’s trade value is probably a third-round pick. Watt, 30, did have a bit of a down year in 2024, registering the third least sacks in a season (11.5) in his career. The other two seasons were his rookie year (seven sacks) and 2022 (5.5 sacks) when he played in just 10 games due to a knee injury. Still, a third round pick would not be a great return for a player of Watt’s caliber.
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms thinks the Steelers would get a significantly better trade package for Watt.
“Certainly, you are going to have to give him the new deal. So that takes a little of the value away there, but you’re going to get a one (first-round pick), a two (second-round pick) and maybe something else down the road. At least, a one and another high pick. That’s probably what it would be a one and a three (third-round pick)? He is 30 and add that to the contract. I think it will be somewhere in that ballpark,” Simms said on Pro Football Talk’s podcast with Mike Florio.
J.J. Watt said on the Pat McAfee Show last month that the Steelers should have extended T.J. Watt last year.
“The earlier you get the deal done, the better deal you get. That’s just a fact,” Watt said. “That’s why, my personal belief, they should have done it last year because I think there was a hometown discount to be had last year. But now the longer you wait this year, you’ve got Micah [Parsons] coming up. Like you said, you got Aidan Hutchinson, you got Myles [Garrett]. These guys are getting new deals.
“That number’s gonna inch closer to four in front of than threes. So you’re gonna want to get that done earlier rather than later because the price isn’t going down.”
Watt has also never won a playoff game, so there’s been some speculation that he would want to move on somewhere else to compete for a Super Bowl. He shut down those rumors, however, stating that he wants to be with the Steelers for the rest of his career.
“I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” Watt said shortly after the end of last season. “You guys know that. I don’t want to leave this place. I want to be part of the solution. I’ve put so much into it here.
“I feel like we have the pieces. It’s what I said a week ago going into the game. It doesn’t change just because of the loss. I still have a lot of belief in the people in this building because I see the work that’s behind the scenes.”