All Options On Table With Steelers, T.J. Watt

The Pittsburgh Steelers are pulling out all of the stops in order to attempt to retain quite possibly one of the best defensive talents in the history of the National Football League in linebacker and edge rusher T.J. Watt.

The generational talent is entering his final season of his contract for this coming year, and the Steelers are doing their best to retain his services. While it seems that his contract concerns haven't really effected the team much yet, new quarterback Aaron Rodgers made clear how important an extension of Watt would be to the team as a whole.

Now, it seems that the Steelers are doing everything they can, but still need Watt to be more receptive. According to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a trade could be on the table as well. In an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Fittipaldo spoke on Watt and contract talks.

"Listen, the Steelers still want to do a deal with T.J., but T.J. has to be receptive to it. It can't be just a one-way deal where the Steelers are the only ones who are negotiating there. So I don't have a firm grasp on exactly what T.J. wants, but I do know that he's not happy right now with what the Steelers are offering. So listen, nothing is off the table," Fittipaldo said. "I'm not saying they would trade him. I'm not saying what [Adam] Schefter is saying is wrong. If anything can happen when you get into negotiations like this, I set my expectation is still for T.J. to sign with the Steelers.
But as of right now, three weeks before training camp, things aren't going great in that regard."

While it seems both sides want to come to a conclusion, it is quite unclear what the desired conclusion is for both sides. Nothing is expected to happen anytime soon, but Pittsburgh could very well look to make a move with Watt as well if a deal doesn't get done.

If not, it'll be interesting to see if the former Defensive Player of the Year plays under the last year of his deal.