T.J. Watt's next contract has historic expectation

“The Steelers, I’m sensing, are optimistic that they can reach a deal with Watt eventually,” Fowler said during a recent appearance on ESPN2 (h/t Barkley Truax of On3.com). “My sense is that he will probably be the highest-paid pass-rusher in the league. When this is all said and done, he wants to be a Steeler for life. The Steelers want that. He’s a legacy-type player.

“They believe at 30 years old, he still has several good years left. They’re just going to have to come up with a number and a good guarantee structure. He did miss minicamp, so Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do. But typically, Pittsburgh perks up in these things around training camp and late July.”

Watt is eyeing his third Steelers contract, and it sounds like this next pact could once again break records. Watt’s expiring four-year, $112M contract ($80M guaranteed) once made him the highest-paid defender in NFL history. With an average annual value around $28M, Watt now sits seventh among edge-rushers. Myles Garrett recently topped the market with a $40M AAV; while Watt could temporarily leap the Cleveland pass-rusher, impending deals for Aidan Hutchinson and Micah Parsons could quickly create a new benchmark.

Watt skipped out on mandatory minicamp as he pursued a new contract, subjecting him to more than $100K in fines. Teams reportedly reached out to the Steelers about a potential trade, but the organization has continued to express optimism that they’ll eventually agree to a new contract. Both sides are now working to wrap up negotiations by training camp, although it sounds like they continue to haggle over guarantees.

Watt’s age-30 season saw him compile 11.5 sacks and six forced fumbles, leading to him earning a second-team All-Pro nod. The Steelers are clearly confident that Watt can continue to contribute well into his 30s, but that hasn’t stopped the front office from considering some depth options. Alex Highsmith inked a four-year extension in 2023, and the team recently used a fourth-round pick on Jack Sawyer.