T.J. Watt has finally received the contract extension he wanted. The Pittsburgh Steelers made him an even wealthier man, paying Watt top edge rusher money. Looking at what he means to the Steelers, it makes sense that they got this deal done. However, analyst Nick Wright isn’t a fan of it.
“The Steelers are gonna continue to have eight, nine wins,” Wright said Thursday on FS1’s First Things First. “Their path out was recognizing they weren’t gonna do this once they signed Aaron [Rodgers], but trade T.J. [Watt], get great draft capital for it, eventually get a quarterback.
“Instead, they want to do this. I think it’s a mistake. I also think T.J. Watt, I don’t know where he is as far as his career arc… I worry a bit about how he and his brother’s bodies aged.”
Wright’s idea for the Steelers sounds like rebuilding, and unfortunately for him, that’s not the way they operate. The Steelers haven’t had a losing season since 2003. No matter how much their teams have changed, or how many things go wrong, they’ve continued to compete for a playoff spot. That’s because their goal is to win championships.
It’s fair to criticize that strategy, but the Steelers stick with it. This offseason proved that. They signed Rodgers and traded for DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. After several seasons of middling results, Pittsburgh wants to get over the hump in the postseason.
Not giving Watt a contract extension wouldn’t have helped them win now at all. He’s one of the best players in the league. Wright questions if his body will continue to hold up, but he’s only suffered one major injury in his career. While he’s dealt with other bumps and bruises, that’s just the nature of the game.
At 31, it’s unclear how long Watt can continue to be an elite pass rusher. However, the Steelers are better off gambling on him than against him. Even if they wanted to trade him, why do it this offseason? Watt is coming off one of his worst professional seasons. Add in that another team would’ve had to pay him, and getting an adequate return for him would’ve been difficult.
We’ll see if Watt proves Wright wrong. However, the last time the Steelers gave Watt a contract extension, he had his best season in the NFL. Watt’s a little older now, but he’s still among the best at his position. He deserved this extension. The Steelers can now focus on the upcoming season.
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