TJ Watt's search for a new deal is ongoing and forcing the Pittsburgh Steelers to pick up the phone to hear trade proposals from teams in the league. The Philadelphia Eagles recently popped up as a popular link to the situation for multiple reasons.
Howie Roseman isn't one to shy away from considering a blockbuster deal, and he likes to build in the trenches. Knowing those two factors, there's an assumption that the Eagles could at least make a call to inquire about Watt's true availability as his situation stretches out without getting resolved.
As the situation continues to play out, former Eagles defensive lineman Hugh Douglas recently thought about a potential deal getting done between the Eagles and the Steelers. When a hypothetical framework of Nolan Smith and a late-round pick in exchange for Watt was tossed out on the airwaves, Douglas pushed back on the idea.
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"It doesn't play into the defense is a luxury, not a necessity, situation," the former Eagle said.
"The reason I say it like that is this: You're going to have a high-priced older player that has a Hall of Fame resume, no question about it, but Nolan has a tremendous upside as of right now. He's much cheaper."
Getting great value is the approach Douglas wants the Eagles to continue taking. It's hard to do that when the Eagles would have to pay assets to get Watt in addition to paying him a major contract extension to keep him happy and on the field.
"You're getting more bang for your buck with a lesser-paid defense that was ranked higher than the Pittsburgh Steelers," Douglas added.
The former first-round pick out of Wisconsin has dominated offensive lines since 2017. With 121 games under his belt, Watt has combined 462 tackles with 126 for a loss. He has generated over 100 sacks, setting a record in 2021 with 22.5 in a single season. He was the Defensive Player of the Year at the time.
There's no question that Watt would be an upgrade over Nolan Smith, who just wrapped up his second season in the NFL. With just 10 starts in 33 games, Smith's production doesn't jump off the page.
Still, the Eagles are thrilled with his upside and look forward to what he can bring to the table now that there are several pass rushers who left the building in Philadelphia.
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