The T.J. Watt trade buzz is heating up again—and this time, the Detroit Lions are back in the mix.
The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off the week with aggressive moves, adding veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. And while those might be big-name upgrades, they come with big-money price tags. Ramsey’s raise bumps his 2025 pay to a whopping $26.6 million, and Smith just landed a fresh $12 million extension.
That type of spending does not come without consequences. With star edge rusher T.J. Watt still waiting on a contract extension, questions are growing louder around how Pittsburgh plans to fit everyone under the cap. They now face one of the most brutal balancing acts in the league, trying to maintain a win-now roster without alienating their best player.
According to multiple league insiders, including Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, most NFL executives do not expect Watt to be traded. However, the financial math is starting to look difficult. And when numbers get tight, even a superstar can become expendable.
“Executives I’ve talked to at some other teams do not expect Watt to be traded. It is interesting, teams are talking about this, what it would take to potentially acquire him, but there’s not a lot of feeling or a sense around the league I get that he’s going to be moved.”
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler
So naturally, people are starting to ask, how are the Steelers going to make the numbers work when their best player, T.J. Watt, is still waiting on a new deal?
TLDR:
The Steelers just spent big on Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith.
That raises serious questions about their ability to pay T.J. Watt.
Watt is still elite, and the Lions have cap space and a need opposite Hutchinson.
CBS has linked Detroit to Watt in trade speculation.
T.J. Watt’s Resume Speaks for Itself
Let’s talk numbers. Watt, 30, is coming off another elite year in 2024, racking up:
12 sacks (7th among edge defenders)
35 solo tackles
6 forced fumbles (1st among all edge defenders)
92.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (3rd out of 211 edge defenders)
90.1 pass rush grade and a ridiculous 91.4 run defense grade, ranked 1st in the league
This guy isn’t just a sack artist. He’s the total package: power, technique, awareness, and relentless motor. He’s also got 108 career sacks in 121 games, with four First-Team All-Pro nods and a Defensive Player of the Year award on his shelf.
Simply put, Watt is still playing like the best edge in football.
Why This Matters for Detroit
The Lions have been hunting for pass-rushing help since, well, forever. Aidan Hutchinson has blossomed into one of the NFL’s premier edge rushers, but Detroit still lacks that dangerous complement on the other side.
They took a low-risk flier on Za’Darius Smith last season and even reportedly tried to move up in the 2025 NFL Draft to grab another edge defender. It didn’t happen. Now, the idea of swinging big for Watt might be more realistic than ever.
And it’s not just fantasy. According to CBS Sports, Detroit makes a lot of sense: they’re playoff contenders, they have over $40 million in 2025 cap space, and Watt would immediately become the second-best defender on the team behind Hutchinson.
“Aidan Hutchinson might be one of the best young pass rushers in the NFL,” Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports writes. “But Detroit has been sniffing around upgrades opposite Hutchinson for a while, taking a flyer on Za’Darius Smith last year and reportedly attempting a draft-day trade up for edge rushing help. Better yet, they’re flush with 2025 salary cap space, possessing north of $40 million that could help accommodate Watt’s immediate financial desires and further confirm them as one of the most talented rosters in all of football.”
The NFL’s Edge Rusher Market
Elite edge rushers are the second-most valuable asset in the league behind quarterbacks. They change games, dictate protections, and close out playoff wins. That is what makes players like Watt so rare, and why there is always a demand for them.
Across the league, only a handful of edge defenders can match Watt’s productivity, consistency, and durability. Most teams have one capable rusher. Very few have two. That is where the opportunity lies.
Teams with playoff hopes and cap flexibility are constantly scanning the market for players who could tip the balance. And while Watt is not officially available, teams are already discussing what it would take if the Steelers decided to reset their roster or reallocate money to younger talent.
Could It Actually Happen?
The Steelers haven’t publicly entertained offers. They keep saying they want to get a deal done with Watt, but the math is starting to look funky.
With the money going to Ramsey and Smith, and other key players needing contracts, Pittsburgh might be forced into a decision they’ve been trying to avoid: moving on from their star to get younger and cheaper.
Enter Brad Holmes.
If the Lions want to go all-in, Watt is the kind of game-wrecker who changes playoff outcomes. And unlike aging veterans who’ve already peaked, Watt is still a force.
The Bottom Line
T.J. Watt in Honolulu Blue? It’s not just wishful thinking anymore. With the Steelers spending big elsewhere, the path to a blockbuster deal is opening. Detroit has the cap space, the roster, and the motivation to make it happen. If Brad Holmes picks up the phone, it could be the splash move that turns the Lions from contenders into champions.