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The Steelers are continuing extension talks with T.J. Watt, and according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the four-time All-Pro is expected to put pen to paper before the regular season begins in September.
Watt has yet to attend Pittsburgh’s OTAs as he awaits a new contract. The team reportedly submitted an offer earlier this week, but Watt seems to be pursuing a stronger deal after an explosion in edge rusher pay this offseason. Maxx Crosby got $35.5MM per year from the Raiders in March, and a few days later, Myles Garrett‘s extension with the Browns reset the market with a $40MM APY.
Watt’s current contract is worth just over $28MM per year, so he should be in line for a significant raise after two consecutive top-five finishes in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He will turn 31 years old during the 2025 season, which could raise age concerns in Pittsburgh, but Garrett is only a year younger with 3.5 fewer sacks since 2023. Watt has also been durable despite a high snap share; he has started 44 straight regular-season games dating back to 2022, though an MCL sprain at the end of the 2023 season sidelined him for the playoffs.
The 2017 first-round pick has been one of the league’s best pass-rushers for his entire career, including a 22.5-sack performance in 2021 that tied Michael Strahan‘s single-season record. Watt’s 31.5 sacks over the last two years trail only Trey Hendrickson, who is at an impasse in his own extension negotiations with the Bengals. Hendrickson is also entering his age-31 season, but took longer to reach Watt’s level of elite production. If one of the two can agree to new terms with their team, it might clarify the market and lead to a resolution for the other.
Another consideration for Watt is D.K. Metcalf‘s four-year, $132MM contract, which surpassed Watt’s current deal to set new franchise records in per-year and total money. The current edge rusher market should allow Watt to beat Metcalf’s $33MM APY, but setting a new high in total money will require a four-year deal though Watt’s age-35 season in 2029.
As Dulac notes, edge rusher production tends to drop after 30 years old, so guarantees will be a sticking point in negotiations. Watt’s 2021 extension included a team-record $80MM in fully-guaranteed money with guaranteed salaries in 2022 and 2023. That will set a precedent for similar terms on an extension that would guarantee Watt’s salary in 2026 and 2027. Ultimately, the two sides’ ability to reach an agreement will likely come down to the Steelers’ willingness to pay Watt as an elite edge rusher for the rest of his career.