Longtime Steelers defensive pillar T.J. Watt is not in attendance at Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp this week as he continues to seek a new long term contract.
Watt, who is set to enter the final year of his current contract, also sipped voluntary OTA’s earlier this offseason, and doesn’t appear to be planning to attend any future events until a new deal is done. His current deal, signed back in 2021, sees him earn an average annual value of $28M per season. By missing 3 days of minicamp, Watt will be forfeiting roughly $105K in salary via fines.
“We expect him back at some point,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Tuesday. “We don’t get caught up [in that] … He’s going to be in good shape [whenever he arrives].”
A four time All-Pro and former defensive player of the year, Watt is an irreplaceable piece of the Steelers defence, though the front office believes that a deal will eventually get done. GM Omar Khan has publicly stated previously that he wants to see the soon to be 31 year old finish his career in Pittsburgh.
The former Wisconsin standout had a down year by his lofty standards in 2024, registering 11.5 sacks, and 61 combined tackles across 17 games. His sack total, QB hits, and tackle totals all took slight dips compared to 2023, but still registered as exceptionally productive from the position when compared to his peers.
With no guarantees beyond this season, and the fact that his $28M AAV has been passed over multiple times since he signed his deal back in 2021, Watt’s holdout isn’t a surprise to many within the Steelers organization. However, given the team’s current roster construction, it’s unclear whether Pittsburgh’s long term goal is to double down on the players and coaches they have in house, or whether they’ll be retooling on the fly.
If the plan is to undergo a rebuild, then it makes little sense to begin talking about $40M a year being tied up in a single player on a defensive unit that will likely have multiple holes in it. However, if the goal is to continue to push for an AFC North title, then Watt becomes a “must have” on the roster in 2025 and beyond.
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