Steelers Now
NFL insider James Palmer provided a tidbit on what’s delaying All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt’s contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Palmer believes Watt’s age and recent injury history is a big holdup in the negotiations.
The 30-year-old edge rusher is coming off the least-productive full season of his NFL career, having recorded 11.5 sacks over 17 games. Watt also led the NFL with six forced fumbles. A late-season injury significantly slowed him down, with Watt recording just seven tackles and no sacks over the final four games of the season.
“This is a big swing with Aaron Rodgers. They know how important the defense is gonna be, they know they need T.J. Watt, and a deal is most likely going to get done,” Palmer said. “But the Steelers’ argument is this: Watt and the defense kind of fell off a little bit the back end of last year.
“He’s had some injuries; he’s battled through them. He’s going to be 31 years old. Do you give $100 million guaranteed to somebody like that? I think that’s where this battle’s going to happen, but I think a deal is going to end up happening.”
Palmer believes negotiations between the Steelers and Watt will go up to the start of the season.
“This is one where we really went through a difficult negotiation last time. That went all the way up to, I believe, the Thursday before the start of the season. Buckle up, we could have that again possibly,” Palmer said.
Adam Schefter revealed on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday afternoon that he would be surprised if the Pittsburgh Steelers gave T.J. Watt a deal that tops Myles Garrett’s, which is $40 million per year.
That could be the hold up in Watt’s negotiations with the Steelers. Watt has better stats in almost every major statistical category than Garrett. Watt and his agent surely are making that point to the Steelers brass.
“i don’t know that he’s gonna get more than Myles Garrett,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I think T.J. Watt’s gonna get a nice, strong, healthy deal and I think at some point in time the two sides will be able to figure out a way to get this done. I can’t imagine that T.J. Watt wouldn’t be there for the start of training camp, that Pittsburgh will not get a deal done. We heard Mike Tomlin last week at mandatory minicamp say that both sides are working to make it happen. But T.J. Watt is serious here. He’s seen all the money that’s gone around, and he wants to make sure that he gets rewarded in the appropriate way.”
Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson are two big-time edge rushers awaiting new deals, as well. Schefter believes Parsons will be become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL history.
“I think Myles Garrett is in his own class. Like, Micah Parsons is four years younger I believe than Myles Garret and had more quarterback pressures, more...
