Starkey: Steelers Should Be On Board With Trading TJ Watt For "The Right Quarterback"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are lucky to have the best defensive player in all of football. TJ Watt has been nothing short of spectacular since the organization drafted him with the 30th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The edge rusher has compiled 96 and a half sacks in his career, and became the first player in NFL history to win the sack title three different times in a career. He was snubbed in the 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year voting with Myles Garrett taking home the award. Watt's career is slowly being wasted in Pittsburgh due to the lack of consistent and strong offensive play. 

Kenny Pickett may only have one season left to prove that he is the quarterback of the future, but Watt's extension that he signed back in 2021 expires after the 2025 season. The Steelers don't have much time to win with him if there's a possibility he goes elsewhere as a free agent. One insider would trade the edge rusher now for a signal-caller other than Pickett who would have more potential to bring the team to the Promised Land.

Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published a mailbag on Tuesday morning. A fan asked if he would be willing to make a big trade to get one of the top selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. Without being prompted, he brought up Watt and admitted he would do pretty much anything as a general manager to get the right quarterback.

"But if the question is, would I move mountains — or T.J. Watt — to get the right quarterback? Of course I would. Wouldn’t you?"

That's a bit surprising to read considering how dominant Watt has been throughout his career in Pittsburgh. Watt had many years with Ben Roethlisberger, but has shockingly never won a playoff game. The team is unbelievably bad when he doesn't play, so it's not his fault, but would it really make sense to include him in a trade for a quarterback?

It's a fair question to ask given the two best quarterback prospects in 2024. Both Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are highly-regarded and could turn into dominant forces at the professional level. Would a team like the Chicago Bears be willing to give up the first overall pick for Watt and a plethora of draft picks? That is an answer that will likely never be answered. Pittsburgh isn't going to include their best player and four-time Team MVP to take a flier on a quarterback prospect.

Steelers Have Several Other Options To Upgrade Quarterback Position

Pittsburgh and Mitchell Trubisky mutually agreed to part ways on Monday, so that leaves Pickett as the only quarterback under contract for 2024 as of now. If Mason Rudolph tests free agency and heads elsewhere, two big names come to mind in a potential massive move by the organization. Trading for Justin Fields or pouncing on Russell Wilson when the Denver Broncos release him are two scenarios in the realm of possibility.

It feels more like that the Steelers would target Fields, given Head Coach Mike Tomlin's admiration for him. He is a young signal-caller with a high ceiling. It's hard to argue that he wouldn't be an upgrade over Pickett. A safe signing like bringing in Ryan Tannehill to reunite with his former Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith is also on the table.

One thing is very clear. The Steelers need to figure out their quarterback situation much sooner rather than later. It's extremely hard to compete at a high level without a top-tier signal-caller in today's NFL. If Tomlin wants to hoist another Lombardi Trophy for the Steel City, he needs to think strategically when it comes to their 2024 offseason. One thing he isn't thinking about, however, is trading Watt.

Would you trade Watt right now for the perfect quarterback? Let us know in the comments below!

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