The Pittsburgh Steelers and T.J. Watt remain at odds over contract negotiations. While the situation is reportedly not ‘contentious,’ it is still one that is dragging out in the public eye with Watt’s holdout from mandatory minicamp.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network does believe that Watt will get as much as the Cleveland Browns paid Myles Garrett, however. Though, that is likely what Watt will push for in contract discussions.
“You know, if they possibly can, they’re going to try and to make him the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL,” Rapoport said. “Because we are still waiting on some details from these massive deals, it’s a little tricky to see where T.J. Watt belongs.”
Head coach Mike Tomlin did not seem overly concerned about his future with the team, stating they are in constant communication with one another.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo says he sees the deal getting done at some point, and the organization does not view the situation as contentious.
“I don’t feel that this one is contentious,” Garafolo said. “If a player misses mandatory minicamp over the next couple days, you don’t have to fine a player. We’ll see what the Steelers wind up doing on this one. I know that they feel really good about the talks that they’ve had and the offers that they’ve made… Mike Tomlin has the belief that T.J. Watt is gonna be just fine working away from the facility, so they’re not stressing about that part of it. If there was a pressure point right now, and the start of training camp seems like it’s a pressure point, I feel like this thing would get done. And it will get done at some point."
Tomlin is confident that the team will reach a deal with star outside linebacker Watt, but added he is unsure of exactly when or if he will show up to training camp if a new deal is not inked by that point.
“I’m not going to get into speculation there,” Tomlin said. “You guys know what negotiations is about; I’m optimistic we’re going to get things done because we got two sides that want things done. When that’s going to occur, I don’t know.”
Watt has one year left on his contract, but after Myles Garrett landed a $40 million per year contract, things became sticky for the Steelers. They will have to get near that amount, in money per year and guaranteed money, for the deal to ultimately get done.