Steelers, T.J. Watt Deal Just Got Much Bigger

Crosby, who was guaranteed $91.5 million upon signing, is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, as his average annual value (AAV) of $35.5 million surpasses the $35 million mark Justin Jefferson reached with the Minnesota Vikings last June.

As for the Steelers connection within this entire situation, T.J. Watt is one of the aforementioned players who will seek an up-to-date contract and look to best the number that Crosby landed in Las Vegas.

The Steelers star once held the record for the largest deal handed to a defensive player in league history when he signed a four-year, $112 million extension in September 2021.

As Watt enters the final year of that pact, which includes no guaranteed salary and a $30.418 million cap hit, it's more or less a formality that he'll get his wish of a re-up with Pittsburgh.

Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers previously topped the leaderboard for the most expensive AAV amongst edge rushers at $34 million, which is the mark Watt had his sights on.

That amount jumped only marginally by $1.5 million with Crosby's arrangement, but it puts the pressure on the Steelers to accelerate talks and hammer out an agreement with Watt before the likes of Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett and Aidan Hutchinson reset the market even further.

Extending Watt would free up $15.836 million in cap space according to Over the Cap, perhaps providing extra incentive for Pittsburgh to sort out the situation as quickly as possible.

The Steelers won't let the 30-year-old go anywhere, but negotiations have become a bit more complicated.