NFL Insider Tom Pelissero on What’s Holding Up TJ Watt’s Steelers Extension I The Rich Eisen Show

NFL Insider Tom Pelissero on What’s Holding Up TJ Watt’s Steelers Extension I The Rich Eisen Show

One of the stories to come out of this trade or topics of discussion certainly nationwide um online TV radio all of it is that the Steelers gave raises to John Smith and to Jaylen Ramsay and they got a guy in TJ Watt looking for his and he doesn’t have it yet and thus these two sides can split and I now give you the floor on what the heck is going on between the Steelers and TJ Watt. Tom, like a lot of like a lot of negotiations, Rich, the Steelers have been trying to give TJ Watt that raise. They’ve been trying to do an extension with him. The sides just aren’t there yet in terms of exactly what that needs to look like. TJ Watts do about $21 million in the last year of his contract. Certainly, there’s an acknowledgement for all parties that that’s not the worth of TJ Watt. But the question becomes with a 30 31y old pass rusher, are you willing to pay him upwards of $40 million per year coming off a back half of 2024 where he didn’t and the defense didn’t play uh the way that we’ve been accustomed to seeing them in the past. TJ Watt’s been a durable player, but he has played through a lot of injuries to uh in recent years here. Again, the Steelers stand willing to pay him, Rich. I would tell you, not making a prediction, but I would tell you based upon my reading of the situation, if and when a deal gets done with TJ Watt in Pittsburgh, and I’ve said repeatedly here and elsewhere, I believe that they will find a way, if not before training camp, than before the season, to get that done. It is going to be north of Miles Garrett. It is going to be upwards of $40 million per year, which then in turn is going to have an impact on some of these other pass rushers that are looking for new deals as well. The question becomes, all right, if it’s going to be whatever the number is, 41 $42 million, what’s the structure of that? What are the guarantees in that contract? If it’s, say, just to throw out a ballpark number, $120 million fully guaranteed for TJ Watt, do you feel comfortable with a player that age who does have an injury history, not coming off the best ending to the season, paying that type of money? If you’re TJ Watt, you’re going, “This is probably the last big bite at the apple I’m going to have. I’ve got the leverage because the Steelers right now on paper are all in and I’m a big part of that and if I don’t get the contract I want, I’m gonna make this a headache for them going all the way through training camp. Uh, you know, would TJ Watt ever say, “I’m just going to retire rather than playing for 21 million.” That’s hard to imagine, but there’s a lot of different directions that these things can go. Do I anticipate that TJ Watt gets traded? No. Never say never. in the NFL in 2025, Rich, we’ve seen wilder things than this happen, particularly again with older players. But you have to ask yourself this in an offseason where they have absolutely gone all in on veteran players. Not older players, veteran players who are geared to win. Now, bring in Aaron Rogers, bring in DK Mechaf, who’s still young, but another highriced veteran player. You bring in Johnny Smith and Jaylen Ramsey and Darius Slate. trading away TJ Watt will be so antithetical to the way that you are building this roster. It wouldn’t make sense. But the other part of it is even if you get to a point you’re like, we’re at a stalemate. What can you get at this point for TJ Watt? For one thing, a 2026 draft pick doesn’t help you. But even if you were getting a 2026 draft pick, is somebody giving up a first round pick and more for TJ Watt? Again, never say never, Rich, but when the Bengals were at T at Trey Hendrickson’s request, shopping Trey Hendrickson earlier this offseason, they were asking for a first round pick, they weren’t being offered a first round pick for a guy who led the league in sacks last year and has like 35 sacks over the past two seasons. They’re almost the exact same age. They both want a new contract. Trey Henderson’s been asking for less than TJ Watt has been asking for and they didn’t get offered a one. That really raises the question then. And Trey Hendrickson’s also been more, you know, a little bit more durable. hasn’t been as banged up. He played better down the stretch last season. Could the Steelers even get a first round pick? If you’re offered a second or something, which again is a 2026 second that doesn’t help you when you’re all in in 2025, would it even make sense to consider it? So, I I wouldn’t rule anything out. There’s a lot of different ways that this can go. Certainly, you know, that TJ Watt is frustrated at this point that things are not worked out here. What do I see being the most likely way that this sorts itself out? Sometime between now and September 8th, I think is their opener. They end up getting a deal done with TJ Watt. When does that happen? What do the numbers look like? All I would tell you, Rich, is it is going to be big money. And I do believe again pending any other deals to get done between now and then. I believe we’re going to see a reset in the edge market again. Damn straight, man. Like this is, you know, Morgan Freeman Oscars standing ovation gif right now. you know, like I mean, uh, there’s no reason to play footsie with TJ Watt when every other egg is in the Aaron Rogers 2025 basket for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And and and and if you’re telling me that the idea of of surpassing the annual average value of Miles Garrett’s contract, uh, or at least on an annual basis, right, is is something the Steelers are you know, don’t have a problem with this is going to get done. It’s just the only matter of when and what it looks like and anything like that. And certainly, again, Rogers is working out um with Steelers right now. Like the the the photographs are all over the place of of him being with his teammates out here. I think it’s out here in Southern California, right, Jens? Um, I mean, please I I mean like the the the wheels are in motion, man. Like the bonding is in motion. Like this is rolling. And TJ Watt sitting at home right now, you know, I’m sure is like, you know, like this. He he wants to be in training camp. He understands that the chance for success is not holding in or holding out. And the Steelers know this, too. Like I I understand we had Jerry Dulac on earlier this week. He gave like August 23rd or on as when he thinks midnight’s going to strike. It should strike in 3 weeks. Like get this guy in. Don’t have Tomlin ask being asked all these questions. It makes him pissed off for just a moment. Obviously he can put velvet ropes around a a conversation media wise like like nobody’s business. But let’s like what are we doing here? Like it it like figure out the math. get him in. We all know like you’re, as you said, what are you going to get? A one even if you’re lucky for what? For the future. No, the future’s now in Pittsburgh. What a team wants to give up a first round pick and over $40 million per year for a 31-y old pass rusher. It’s got to be It’s a short list. I know it’s not just any It’s not just any 31y old pass rusher though, right? I mean, and think you’re one player away, but that’s a ton. It’s just a ton to give up because at most, what are you thinking? You’re getting two or three more years of of prime TJ. just it’s a hard sell. Those those deals uh don’t happen a whole lot. I would say this and Jerry who knows that team inside and out. He’s probably right because let’s also remember this fridge. DJ Watt doesn’t do a ton in training camp anyway. Mike Tomlin doesn’t exactly grind his veterans. The young guys, I mean, you go to Steelers camp, they are hitting. It’s the pads on and it is, you know, they’re still doing, you know, versions of like an Oklahoma style drill which you just don’t see any place else. He takes it pretty easy on the guys that he knows need more rest here. So, when would TJ Watt really be ramping things up? It’s probably down the stretch uh in training camp. The sooner the better, but you know, they’re still they’re one of the last teams to report. I think they’re a July 23rd uh reporting date team. So, they’re one of the last teams in and you know, we’ll see exactly, you know, what transpires between now and then. any any idea of a trade barring some team calling up Omar Khan today and saying hey we’ll give you a first round pick and more for TJ Watt even then I think there’s a real conversation of like does this make any sense for us I don’t I don’t see that happening I think that this is going to be something that it does get resolved but again we’ve seen we’ve seen strange things happen in the past so stay tuned to exactly how this thing ends up getting resolved catch the Rich Eisen show live weekdays from 12 to 3 p.m. Eastern on Roku Sports Channel in the

NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reveals to Rich Eisen the main issue holding up a TJ Watt extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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