Author: Ben Levine

T.J. Watt’s Next Contract Expected To Top Positional Market

T.J. Watt‘s next contract was always expected to approach the top of his position, but it sounds like the former Defensive Player of the Year could reset the market altogether. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently stated that Watt will “probably” become the highest-paid pass rusher on his next deal.

“The Steelers, I’m sensing, are optimistic that they can reach a deal with Watt eventually,” Fowler said during a recent appearance on ESPN2 (h/t Barkley Truax of On3.com). “My sense is that he will probably be the highest-paid pass rusher in the league. When this is all said and done, he wants to be a Steeler for life. The Steelers want that. He’s a legacy type player.

“They believe at 30 years old, he still has several good years left. They’re just going to have to come up with a number and a good guarantee structure. He did miss minicamp, so Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do. But typically, Pittsburgh perks up in these things around training camp and late July.”

Watt is eyeing his third Steelers contract, and it sounds like this next pact could once again break records. Watt’s expiring four-year, $112MM contract ($80MM guaranteed) once made him the highest-paid defender in NFL history. With an average annual value around $28MM, Watt now sits seventh among edge rushers. Myles Garrett recently topped the market with a $40MM AAV; while Watt could temporarily leap the Cleveland pass rusher, impending deals for Aidan Hutchinson and Micah Parsons could quickly create a new benchmark.

Watt skipped out on mandatory minicamp as he pursued a new contract, subjecting him to more than $100K in fines. Teams reportedly reached out to the Steelers about a potential trade, although the organization has continued to express optimism that they’ll eventually agree to a new contract. Both sides are now working to wrap up negotiations by training camp, although it sounds like they continue to haggle over guarantees.

Watt’s age-30 season saw him compile 11.5 sacks and six forced fumbles, leading to him earning a second-team All-Pro nod. The Steelers are clearly confident that Watt can continue to contribute well into his 30s, but that hasn’t stopped the front office from considering some depth options. Alex Highsmith inked a four-year extension in 2023, and the team recently used a fourth-round pick on Jack Sawyer.

WR Gabe Davis “Still An Option” For Steelers

It’s been nearly a month since Gabe Davis visited the Steelers. While the veteran wide receiver didn’t immediately put pen to paper, it sounds like he remains a target for the organization. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Davis is “still an option” for Pittsburgh.

[RELATED: Steelers To Host WR Gabe Davis]

Fowler adds that the wideout “really enjoyed” his visit with the franchise back in June. However, Davis is expected to take his time deciding on his next landing spot, with Fowler suggesting that a signing could come closer to training camp.

Davis was a popular name after getting cut by the Jaguars in May. In addition to the Steelers, the 26-year-old met with the 49ers, Giants, and Saints. The receiver’s free agency tour ended with that New Orleans visit in early June, and we can assume each of those suitors remain in the race for the veteran’s services.

Davis inked a three-year, $39MM deal with the Jaguars last offseason, but he only lasted one season in Jacksonville before earning his walking papers. His 2024 campaign represented one of the worst seasons of his career, as the wideout compiled career-lows in receptions (20), receiving yards (239), and receiving touchdowns (two). Teams are still clearly banking on the player’s Buffalo performance, where he hauled in 27 touchdowns across four seasons. This included a 2022 campaign where the former fourth-round pick hauled in 48 catches for 836 yards.

The Steelers are naturally operating as if Davis won’t be on their squad in 2025, and this means they’re eyeing a group of receivers behind new WR1 D.K. Metcalf. As ESPN’s Brooke Pryor writes, Calvin Austin III currently appears to be in the lead for the team’s WR2 role.

The former fourth-round pick had a strong sophomore season, finishing with 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns. The organization is confident he can hit another level, with receivers coach Zach Azzanni declaring during minicamp that the second receiver role was “Calvin’s right now.”

As Pryor notes, Austin will still have to build a rapport with Aaron Rodgers, which will go a long way in determining the receiver hierarchy. The third-year player will be competing with the likes of Robert Woods, Scotty Miller, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek for reps behind Metcalf.