Steelers' 2025 Summer Could Be Completely Ruined By The Dallas Cowboys

It's hard to argue that many other organizations have been in the news more often than the Pittsburgh Steelers have been during the 2025 offseason. It has been crazy to say the least, as General Manager Omar Khan has seemed to make a big splash each time things started to quiet down. DK Metcalf was acquired, Aaron Rodgers was talked about for months, George Pickens was traded, and then, when everyone thought the front office was going to settle, a blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins occurred. It has been one heck of a rollercoaster that the fan base has been on since March.

While a couple more small moves could end up happening before training camp, it seems as if it should get a little more quiet around the Steel City. There really is just one more box to check, and that's the contract extension for dominant edge rusher, TJ Watt. It has been theorized that the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year is hoping to, and will, be the highest-paid pass rusher in the NFL.

Watt is 30 years old and while he has played 34 of the last 34 regular season contests, some worry that his ability to stay on the field and healthy could be an issue. That could be why the contract talks between Watt and the Steelers have stalled. Whether he feels as if he deserves to be the highest-paid in terms of average money per year, or specifically, guaranteed cash, remains to be seen.

There is another situation similar to this happening with the Dallas Cowboys. Micah Parsons is due for a massive extension of his own, but hasn't come to any kind of agreement with Jerry Jones. The situations are a bit different because Parsons is just entering his prime at 26 years of age, but the market is definitely going to get reset once again after Watt or Parsons signs. This could present a problem for the Steelers if Jones gets a deal done prior to Khan.

Regardless of the two being four years apart when it comes to age, if the reports about Watt wanting to be the richest edge rusher in the NFL are true, a Parsons deal could make things worse for Pittsburgh's front office. The last thing that the Steelers need is Jones giving Parsons an absurd amount of money that wasn't expected. This could easily cause even more of a delay for the Watt negotiations.

It's possible that no one would be talking about paying an edge rusher $40 million or more per season if the Cleveland Browns hadn't given the moon and the stars to Myles Garrett. Instead, Watt wants to get a more lucrative deal than his AFC North divisional foe, while Parsons also patiently waits for a fresh contract that he absolutely deserves.

With the league's cap number going up each year, there will always be new deals that reset markets, but it appears that the Steelers ended up getting stuck in a bad spot when it comes to pass rushers. Watt deserves one final big contract in the Steel City, but it's clear that there's a hold-up. This could get even more complicated if Parsons puts pen to paper before Watt does. Everyone wants to be the highest-paid at their respective positions, which is why this predicament is so interesting.

Steelers Need Watt To Contend In 2025

Pittsburgh has made a plethora of shocking moves throughout the 2025 offseason, but Watt is an essential piece to the puzzle. He is a leader on the team, and one of the best defenders in the NFL. It might hurt the bank a little bit to give him $41 million or more per year, but the franchise has proven that it has had trouble winning in recent years when Watt isn't on the field. Khan needs to act quickly and get something done before Jones and Parsons potentially ruin the Steelers' training camp.

Do you think that the Steelers will make Watt the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation