As Pittsburgh Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt enters the final season of his four-year, $112 million deal, he'll be due for quite the payday in 2026.
There is speculation that the Steelers either can't or won't offer Watt market value, and contract negotiations between the two parties are reportedly not going well.
That could be one of the reasons that Bleacher Report's Mitchel Milani thinks a trade could benefit the team, and he cites Tampa Bay as the trade partner.
“This is one of the most impressive Tampa Bay rosters we have seen since Tom Brady was there in my opinion,” Milani said. We will see what Liam Coen leaving has to do with the offense and how that effects Baker and everybody else, but 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.”
From a football standpoint, Watt would fit in nicely with the Bucs.
But that's the only point that a potential trade makes sense. The Buccananeers and Licht would only facilitate a trade of this magnitude if they were going to sign Watt to a long-term deal.
And that could be an issue for Tampa Bay.
Watt's next deal could demand $35-$40 million per year. And that could be a little rich for Licht's blood.
There's no question that the Buccaneers' defense could use Watt's 15.2 average tackles per season. Tampa Bay had a hard time getting to the quarterback, and Watt could fix a lot of that.
But the Buccaneers have invested a ton in the defense this offseason in free agency and the draft. And a Watt deal might not fit on the books for 2026 and beyond.