This time next week, the Pittsburgh Steelers will report to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for the 58th edition of training camp there.
The biggest question for the Steelers entering training camp centers on star pass rusher T.J. Watt, who remains in a contract dispute with Pittsburgh. Will Watt show up to training camp and conduct a hold-in like he did last time while in search of a new deal? Or will he continue what he did this offseason and hold out, not showing up at all?
It’s a major talking point across the NFL landscape, and it’s led to a number of reports from NFL insiders regarding Watt’s contract negotiations. One report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicated that the guaranteed language is the holdup in the Watt talks. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that it’s about the length of the contract Watt is seeking.
For longtime Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly, who appeared on 93.7 The Fan’s Joe Show with Joe Starkey Wednesday, it’s not just one thing with Watt.
“I heard on Friday and I put that out there on the X that it’s more than just one thing. It is definitely the length of the contract,” Kaboly said of the Watt situation, according to video via 93.7 The Fan on YouTube. “I’m not sure the specifics, but I’m assuming he does want five years. I think he wants four of those guaranteed, and I think he wants to be the highest-paid edge rusher as well.”
Steelers are still in a holding pattern with T.J. Watt's contract extension. Length of deal, guarantees and total value — basically everything, to some varying degrees — are the sticking points right now.
Even so, there is no anticipation for Watt to holdout when camp starts… pic.twitter.com/PoVTbqU6VF
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) July 11, 2025
Watt will 31 years old in October. A five-year deal would take him to his age-36 season, which would be a gamble for the Steelers to pay a pass rusher that late into his career. It makes sense though that Watt would want the security of a five-year deal as this likely be his final contract in the NFL.
It also makes sense that the Steelers could be hesitant to do that and might be seeking a four-year deal, much like they did last time. For Kaboly, Myles Garrett’s contract with the Cleveland Browns — four years, $160 million — is the structure Watt is likely seeking, though he might want more than the $123.5 million guaranteed to Garrett.
The $40 million per year though for Watt is the bar for per-year pay for the star pass rusher. He’s not the only one working on an extension at the position, either. Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson wants a new deal after leading the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons, and Dallas’ Micah Parsons is in line for a new deal, too.
It could really come down to who blinks first and resets the market at the position of the three. There hasn’t been much movement with Watt and the Steelers as they reportedly remain far apart. And if Kaboly is right, it’s not just one thing holding up the negotiations either, which could lead to this thing dragging on into training camp — and possibly even the start of the season.
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