Should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers be buoyed by optimism as they march into the 2025 NFL season as the perennial NFC South champions? Absolutely.
And that should rightfully puts Bucs management in go-for-it mode.
But if the trade subject being speculated about is a key member of the Pittsburgh Steelers ... well, aren't the Steeler also justified in going for it?
The Bucs are in the NFC South, where they have dominated the last four seasons. Do it again? That's an NFC South record.
GM Jason Licht brought back Chris Godwin and Lavonte David and made the move to sign enigmatic pass rusher Haason Reddick.
The Buccaneers are ready to win ... and might be a blockbuster move away from winning postseason games, too.
So ...
Enter Bleacher Report, which believes the Buccaneers could push for a trade for disgruntled all-time Steelers stud T.J. Watt. They write, "If they could add to the defense and make this defense the most terrifying Tampa has been since that Super Bowl defense, then that would go a long way in offsetting their offense and maybe lack of play-calling.”
Well, we don't understand the "offsetting'' part; there is nothing wrong with the Bucs' Baker Mayfield-led attack there.
But we get the "terrifying'' part.
So what's the projected cost?
B/R suggests a swap between the Buccaneers and Steelers in which Tampa Bay gives Pittsburgh a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick and Chris Braswell.
Is that a fair price for a 30-year-old pass-rusher who is holding out in hopes of getting paid more than $30 million per year?
Fair enough - assuming Tampa Bay wants to give that extension.
But how does "fair'' help a Steelers team that believes it has "loaded up'' with Aaron Rodgers and company?
If Pittsburgh was destined for the basement of the AFC North and looking for a rebuild? Take the picks.
But the Steelers plan is to go back to the playoffs (again) with Watt. So two go-for-it teams are not a match here.