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The Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt have been at odds for weeks about a new contract. Those negotiations appear to be going nowhere, according to NFL Insider Mike Florio. Pittsburgh apparently has no desire to trade Watt, despite the standstill.
“The problem is that the two sides are, we’re told, nowhere close on a new deal,” Florio wrote for NBC Sports. “Watt, one of the very best defensive players is the game, is ready for any outcome and not afraid to push the issue.”
Watt is seeking a contract extension that would pay him a substantial amount of money. That number could be around $40 million a year, per a NFL Network report. The inability for the two sides to come to an agreement left Watt out of Steelers OTAs earlier in the summer.
Training camp starts for NFL teams in mid to late July, so the clock is ticking for a deal to get done.
Pittsburgh has got a lot of new faces on the team, heading into training camp. Aaron Rodgers is now the team’s quarterback, after coming to an agreement with the team on a one-year deal.
The negotiations with Rodgers dragged on for months. That could have played a role in the team’s stalled talks with Watt. Then on Monday, the Steelers made yet another move. They traded with the Miami Dolphins for several players, including cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Florio argues the Steelers might be wise to just trade Watt. He asserts a deal could be done to help bring in a franchise quarterback. The insider sees Rodgers as a short-term solution to the quarterback problem in Pittsburgh.
“But the franchise will exist beyond 2025. They need a young quarterback. If they could flip Watt for the ammo that helps them get the successor to Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, maybe they should,” Florio added.
Watt is one of the best defensive players on the Steelers. In 2024, he posted 11.5 sacks and 61 combined tackles.
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