T.J. Watt is looking to reel in a big contract with the Steelers. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers' T.J. Watt set to become highest-paid defensive player in NFL?

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 8/23/21

T.J. Watt is entering the final season of his rookie deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it sounds like the star linebacker has a bigger payday coming his way.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggested Monday that once the Steelers play their final preseason game Friday, they’ll finalize a new contract with Watt to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.

Now that the preseason is almost over, expect T.J. Watt to sign a contract extension shortly after the Carolina game that will make him the league's highest-paid defensive player.

— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) August 23, 2021

Watt has been a non-practicing “hold-in” during training camp so far, making it clear that he wants a new deal done before the start of the season. The Steelers are known for not negotiating during the regular season, so there is some incentive to get something done quickly.

The highest-paid defensive player is currently Joey Bosa, who signed his record contract in 2020. Watt would need to beat Bosa’s $27 million annual salary to usurp that title. There’s little doubt that Watt is worth it: he’s still just 26 and has racked up 42.5 sacks in his last three seasons with the Steelers.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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