Schefter: Steelers' TJ Watt's Price Tag Revealed As His Riveting Holdout Continues

The Pittsburgh Steelers just wrapped up one of the most followed storylines of the 2025 offseason, which was the organization's pursuit of a starting quarterback. Aaron Rodgers finally signed in Pittsburgh, and he will officially be the QB1 for the franchise in what might be the final season of his career. The drama isn't finished for the Steelers, though. Outside linebacker TJ Watt still needs a new deal as he enters the final season of his current contract. It already seems clear that he will not be on the field until progress is made, which means Pittsburgh needs to find a way to end the holdout.

Watt has been through some contract issues before. He held-in ahead of the 2021 season, and he didn't sign his new deal until shortly before the team's season opener. He wound up tying the league's regular season sack record and winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award that year, so training camp might not be all that important for the defensive star. Watt is in search of a fresh new deal however, and NFL insider Adam Schefter went on ESPN's Unsportsmanlike on Tuesday to share some insight on what the deal might be worth.

"[Trey] Hendrickson, Watt, I think they'll be in the [Maxx] Crosby, Garrett range," Schefter said. "Somewhere in there. Micah Parsons, I expect to become the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. That's the deal that I expect to trump the other deals."

The Steelers hurt themselves by not extending Watt during the 2024 offseason like the defender originally wanted. This allowed players like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby to sign new deals, which ultimately reset the market. Watt also isn't the only edge rusher looking for a new deal. Both Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons are expected to ink new contracts at some point during the 2025 offseason, as mentioned by Schefter.

Crosby had two seasons left on his deal, but the Las Vegas Raiders decided to make extending him during the 2025 offseason a priority. He signed a three-year deal worth $106.5 million. That comes out to an average of $35.5 million per season, with $91.5 million of the deal being guaranteed. Garrett then signed his deal with the Cleveland Browns, which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The deal is for four-years and $160 million, with $123.5 million guaranteed.

Schefter expects Watt's deal to fall into this range, specifically with the guaranteed money. That is what players and agents truly care about. Hopefully it is a four-year deal for the defender, and it should be worth somewhere in between Crosby and Garrett's contracts. Parsons will likely come along and break all of those contracts, as the insider expects him to sign for a record number.

Steelers Have A Packed Room At Outside Linebacker

There is a bit of a silver-lining to Watt missing mandatory minicamp, and probably training camp. This opens up some reps for the rest of the room. Nick Herbig is clearly a very talented player who has made plenty of plays over his two-year career, but it is probably hard for him to find the field while playing being Watt and Alex Highsmith. Jack Sawyer is another player who should be able to make an impact on the defense, and Watt's absence could help his development as he gets ready for his rookie year.

Pittsburgh doesn't need to worry about Watt being ready for the season when it begins. The organization should be able to get a deal done before the regular season kicks off, and Watt is experienced enough to keep himself ready for the year without going to training camp.

What do you think about Schefter's expectations? Let us know in the comments below!

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