Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt has been sitting out of organized team activities as he awaits an extension that will make him one of the highest-paid NFL players ever. While negotiations aren’t being rushed, the organization reportedly has a timeline for a deal to be reached.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers expect a contract extension to be in place before Week 1. The two sides remain in negotiations and the front office seems to have confidence that Watt will be signed to a long-term deal by September.
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Notably, per Dulac, one holdup in the negotiations could be the length of the contract. Watt turns 31 years old in October and the franchise would understandably want to avoid a deal that pays him a lot of guaranteed money into his mid-30s. Pittsburgh avoided just that with wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, signing the 27-year-old to an extension that ends before his age-33 season.
Negotiations between the two sides haven’t come without some anxious moments. In April, Watt posted a picture on Instagram of himself in a Steelers’ uniform as he walked off the field and signaled farewell to the fans. Watt’s brother also made it clear that the perennial All-Pro pass rusher won’t give the team any discount.
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Considering the contract Watt’s peer Myles Garrett received – $160 million over four years with $123.5 million guaranteed – any deal from Pittsburgh will need to start at $40 million annually. The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year might also want to beat the total Garrett is receiving in the first three years of his deal, $100 million, which would make Watt the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL.
While Watt is a free agent at the end of the 2025 NFL season, there’s no reason to believe that Pittsburgh is in any danger of losing him next offseason. A contract extension is likely to be signed this summer, all but ensuring that Watt spends his entire Hall of Fame career in Pittsburgh.
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