It has been a turbulent offseason between the Pittsburgh Steelers and former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt.
The star pass rusher skipped mandatory minicamp amid frustration over the lack of progress on a new contract. Talks between the two sides have yet to yield an agreement, casting uncertainty over Watt’s future in Pittsburgh. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, outside interest in Watt is likely to grow, especially after the recent Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick trade between the Steelers and Miami Dolphins.
ESPN Sources: The Miami Dolphins have agreed to trade three-time All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As a part of the trade, Ramsey will get a $1.5 million raise this season, bringing his 2025 compensation up to $26.6 million.
Steelers get their man and Ramsey… pic.twitter.com/kLMgYfwt34
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 30, 2025
But a trade involving Watt simply wouldn’t make sense for the Steelers. He’s a generational pass rusher and the face of their defense. More importantly, moving Watt would contradict everything Pittsburgh has done this offseason. The team made aggressive, win-now moves by signing Aaron Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf. Letting go of Watt would undermine that direction and raise questions about the team’s true intentions heading into 2025.
Still, if the Steelers were to make T.J. Watt available, could the Green Bay Packers make a serious push to land him?
According to Over the Cap, the Packers are projected to have $35.5 million in cap space for 2025, which would give them enough flexibility to pursue a player like Watt. However, acquiring him wouldn’t be simple.
Watt is entering the final year of his current deal, meaning any trade would require Green Bay to negotiate a new contract, likely one that makes him among the highest-paid defenders in the league. Beyond the financial commitment, the Packers would also have to part with significant draft capital, and possibly even a wide receiver, to meet Pittsburgh’s asking price.
Still, Watt is exactly the type of player who makes such trades worthwhile. Even at 30 years old, he’s still one of the league’s premier pass rushers and shows no signs of slowing down. He likely has at least a couple of high-level seasons still ahead of him. Last season, Watt recorded 57 pressures – comfortably surpassing Green Bay’s leader in that category, Rashan Gary, who had fewer than 50.
Watt’s consistency over the years is equally impressive, with at least 55 pressures in four of the last five seasons. Adding a proven force like him could elevate Green Bay’s front seven to another level, providing the kind of game-changing presence the defense has been missing.
The problem is that Green Bay has already made a significant investment in its pass rush. Gary is being paid to be the team’s primary disruptor up front, and just two years ago, the Packers used a first-round pick on Lukas Van Ness with the expectation that he would eventually develop into a key contributor. Bringing in Watt would not only add another major contract to the edge room, but it would also likely cut into Van Ness’ playing time.
Green Bay could have up to six starters hitting unrestricted free agency next year, which puts an even greater premium on maintaining cap flexibility and draft capital. The team will need as much financial room as possible to retain key pieces and avoid major turnover.
Committing to a new, expensive deal for Watt would occupy a significant portion of that space, leaving the front office with limited options and potentially several holes to fill across the roster. As impactful as Watt is, the long-term cost could come at the expense of roster balance and depth.
Looking at the bigger picture, bringing in T.J. Watt would undoubtedly take Green Bay’s pass rush to another level, but it could seriously hurt the team’s long-term stability. Watt’s impact would be immediate and could give the Packers a significant boost in their pursuit of a championship.
While Green Bay has the resources to make the trade happen and benefit in the short term, it would create long-term challenges. With several starters approaching free agency and young players eventually requiring extensions, managing the roster and salary cap in the future could become a significantly larger issue.