Myles Garrett's Market-Setting Deal Hurting Steelers

There isn’t much doubt about the Pittsburgh Steelers wanting to extend edge rusher T.J. Watt. The organization has a penchant for continuity, a long history of sticking with its icons, and unfinished business.

Watt is one of the few Steelers to spend so much time in Pittsburgh and not win a playoff game. That sets him apart from Steelers greats of yesteryear, albeit out of his control.

Pittsburgh wants to keep Watt around, and there’s no indication that the star wants to spend the twilight of his career anywhere else. But the NFL is a business, and by not getting Watt’s new deal done earlier, the team has opened itself up to the whims of the market – one that was just reset earlier in the offseason.

The Cleveland Browns’ big extension for edge rusher Myles Garett is taking a toll on the Steelers’ negotiations with Watt, raising the top of the market from $35 million to $40 million as a result of his de facto hostage situation.

Watt, for the duration of his career, has been tied to Garrett, performing similarly in a perpetual chase to be the best edge rusher in the sport. It’s no surprise he wants to be paid just as handsomely.

​​"I think what they were not anticipating is how serious T.J. Watt is about being at the top of the market," Brooke Pryor said, via Matthew Marczi of Steelers Depot. "And I think at that point, too, they weren't necessarily anticipating Myles Garrett resetting the market in such a big way."

Pittsburgh should be expected to re-sign Watt. However, there are reasons to be hesitant, especially after Garrett’s deal put the front office on the hook for a bigger contract. Watt has largely outperformed his pass-rushing peripherals, but dropping to 11.5 sacks as he enters his 30s isn’t ideal. His motor and strengths against the run give him staying power, but Father Time is rarely kind to athletic edge rushers.

As the Steelers prepare to pay Watt, there’s little need for panic. What should have been a layup, though, has certainly become a more difficult conversation.

"I was not surprised that he was not at minicamp," Pryor said. "No one in the building was surprised that he was not at minicamp. If there is an element of surprise here, it dates back to earlier this offseason when I was having conversations with people in the building who kind of said, 'We thought this T.J. Watt deal would be easier to get done because it's a no-brainer. We want him here. He wants to be here.'"

Pittsburgh will likely extend Watt, but doing so at this rate is a risk. The Steelers will bank on his profile aging well and getting a gracious decline from one of the game’s best players.