Steelers Definitely Shouldn't "Raise Any Red Flags" Just Yet About TJ Watt's Current Contract Dispute

The Pittsburgh Steelers are potentially dealing with another hold-in as Organized Team Activities (OTAs) begin this week. Star pass rusher TJ Watt is not present for Phase 3 of the offseason program as he tries to negotiate a new extension. After Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett received a massive deal worth $40 million per year earlier this year, there quickly became concerns on if Pittsburgh could afford the face of its franchise in Watt and give him quarterback-type money. After he sent a cryptic post out in early April on Instagram, many fans are worried that he could be traded if the two sides can't agree to a new deal.

While making an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, ESPN's Brooke Pryor was asked about this hold-in. Even though she said that a deal likely won't get done until July, there is no reason to panic just yet.

"I'm not going to raise any red flags honestly until we get to training camp," Pryor said. "I know that in the past, some of these deals have dragged out, even through camp... I think the way the organization is being run right now with Omar Khan, he wants to get these things done sooner rather than later, but that doesn't necessarily mean during minicamp, OTAs. I would kind of expect it to be later in the summer during training camp. I think they eventually get there, but I do think that it's not as simple as they would like it to be because the market is exploding."

The last time Watt held-in, he missed all of training camp and preseason. However, he had one of the greatest seasons by an edge rusher ever, if not the single best, after he got his new deal. It's safe to say that he's still working out and making sure he is in football shape, even if he is not on the practice field for now. There is still time to get a contract finalized. 

However, Watt was 26 going on 27 when he racked up 22.5 sacks. He is now 30, and he turns 31 in October. Even though he will likely still be great, he might need the practice reps more than he did in 2021. Missing OTAs and minicamp is perfectly fine, but it would be in the best interest of both him and the Steelers to come to terms before training camp officially begins.

Steelers Have Many Options To Weigh

Watt had a down year in 2024, so there are some legitimate questions on how long he has left in the league. On the other hand, he still had 11.5 sacks while leading the league in forced fumbles. His "down year" is still elite production that would get any player at his position a nice extension. 

If there's any edge rusher group in the NFL that could make up for the potential loss of Watt, it's Pittsburgh's. Alex Highsmith has also been given a nice extension to be Watt's partner in crime. He has had to step up while the former AP Defensive Player of the Year was recovering from an injury, and he did well in that role. There are a pair of young guns ready for an increase in snaps as well. 

While playing roughly half of the defensive snaps in 13 games in 2024, Nick Herbig made his presence known with 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He would likely be a starter on any other team. If that's not enough youth, Jack Sawyer is sitting there after the Steelers stole him in the 2025 NFL Draft. He can at the very least be quality depth for Pittsburgh.

Even with all that talent at edge rusher, could they all truly fill Watt's shoes if he ends up leaving Pittsburgh? The Steelers have won a total of one game when their superstar spends at least half of the game on the bench. A team can't simply infuse youth into the starting lineup and not suffer a significant downturn in production. The front office has to determine if that is worth the risk or not when it comes to negotiating with Watt.

What do you think about Watt's hold-in not being a problem for the Steelers currently? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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