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As T.J. Watt continues to seek a new contract, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is atop the list of notable players absent from OTAs. While his sabbatical sticks out like a sore thumb, Alex Highsmith believes it will only be a matter of time before his running mate is back on the field.
Highsmith, who is eligible for his own payday in the 2026 offseason, said he is “very confident” the Steelers will come to terms with Watt. The linebacker noted his pass-rushing partner “really wants to be” in Pittsburgh, suggesting that Watt is not looking to force his way out.
“I’ve been catching up with him all offseason,” Highsmith said, via Steelers reporter Christopher Carter. “Like I said in some earlier interviews, he really wants to be here. I’m very confident they’ll get a deal done.”
Alex Highsmith says he and TJ Watt have been talking all offseason and that he’s “very confident” a deal will get done with Watt and the #Steelers: pic.twitter.com/a87z6WPhNc
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) May 29, 2025
Watt and Highsmith have been one of the league’s most tantalizing pass-rushing duos since the latter broke through in 2022. Even with Highsmith missing six games with ankle injuries, they still posted 17.5 combined sacks in 2024.
Watt has one year remaining on his current deal and is owed roughly $21 million in 2025. However, with several other notable pass-rushers receiving lucrative extensions in the offseason, including Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby, Watt is reportedly seeking a contract that compares with those of his rivals.
Though Watt is not the type of player to threaten to sit out, he appears on the verge of doing so. The Wisconsin alum has 30.5 sacks in the last two seasons, second only to Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Ironically, Hendrickson is also skipping OTAs for a similar reason as he waits for the Bengals to either extend or trade him.
Team OTAs are technically voluntary, but players do not typically miss them unless they have a particular reason. Watt and Hendrickson are far from the only star players sitting out of the sessions while seeking an extension. Terry McLaurin and James Cook are also utilizing the tactic, while Bengals rookie Shemar Stewart remains out with his rookie deal still unsigned.
A handful of others — Garrett, Micah Parsons and Stefon Diggs — did not report to OTAs, but did not cite a specific reason for doing do. Parsons is in the early stages of contract negotiations, but has not been at odds with the Dallas Cowboys to the level of Hendrickson or Watt. Garrett and Diggs both recently signed deals of their own but remain sidelined for their own unspecified reasons.
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