The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing a high-stakes contract standoff with one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers.
With the edge rusher market reaching unprecedented heights, negotiations with T.J. Watt have hit significant roadblocks that could extend deep into the preseason.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently provided insight into the stalled talks.
“I talked to somebody with the team who said, ‘Look, these are complicated deals to do, but we are working on it. We want T.J. Watt here.’ … This is a situation where he’s probably going to be the highest-paid edge rusher in the league when this is all said and done. It just depends on when the Steelers can do it. Typically, they like to do their deals either around training camp or leading into Week 1. So this is far from over,” Fowler said.
Pass rush market has exploded. By summer’s end, at least six of top-end rushers should or will have secured mega deal since March.
Taking stock of T.J. Watt, Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons status on @SportsCenter with @SkubieMageza pic.twitter.com/kaLLODTs0h
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 5, 2025
The negotiations have centered around two major obstacles: guaranteed money and contract length.
Despite the impasse, Pittsburgh remains committed to keeping its All-Pro defender, with sources indicating they have no interest in trade discussions.
Watt is entering the final year of his current contract scheduled to earn $21 million this season, a figure that falls well short of his market value.
Following Myles Garrett’s record-setting $40 million annual contract with the Cleveland Browns, Watt reportedly seeks to surpass that and establish himself as the league’s highest-paid edge rusher.
Watt’s decision to skip mandatory minicamp sends a clear message about his contract expectations and unwillingness to accept anything less than a lucrative commitment from the organization.
The 30-year-old performs at an elite level with 108.0 career sacks, four First-Team All-Pro selections, and the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Steelers face a challenging financial situation, particularly after recent roster moves.
However, losing a player of Watt’s caliber would create an enormous void on their defense.
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