Why Pittsburgh Steelers SHOULD trade T.J. Watt | Colin Cowherd NFL

you know, another story that um kind of developed. So, I I said this a year ago. I said, “Pittsburgh, you lead the NFL again in defensive spending and you’re not paying TJ Watt the big money yet.” And that’s why when they went and got Jaylen Ramsay and let go of Minka Fitzpatrick, I’m like, how about just let go of Minka Fitzpatrick and not bring in a more expensive guy in the secondary who’s past his prime who bites on a lot of stuff. Doesn’t quite have the makeup speed, the makeup ability he did like four years ago. He’s he’s a bounce around the league guy with a little bit of an attitude, a little bit of a independent contractor at times in the secondary. Jaylen’s doing his own thing. So now stories are surfacing and people said how how can you trade TJ Watt? I’m like it would be different if their money was all on offense. Like the Rams will pay Jared Verse in two years. They’re going to pay him whatever they have to pay him. But they’re going to keep drafting defense and keeping it cheap and paying the quarterback and the left tackle and puka and maybe Kron Williams. I think a lot of the smart teams in the league, the Chiefs have done this is well they’ll pay Chris Jones but they’re going to let corners go and safeties go and linebackers. This is an offensive league and you want your defense to be, you know, outside of a great pass rusher. Sorry to interrupt this great video, but please remember to like and subscribe. Thank you. Now, back to the video. So, when I suggested it a year ago, I would consider, you know, he’s now across that Rubicon, 30 years old plus for, you know, an edge rusher. I’d consider moving him. I got huge push back. Now the stories are out there and I don’t think it’s crazy if you could get two twos. Um if if by the trade deadline or in the off season if you don’t make the playoffs Burrow Lamar uh you know your thoughts on trading him I don’t think it’s going to happen but I don’t think it’s I mean again things in this league Bellich and Andy Reid were fired. Okay. Anybody can be fired in this league. Joe Montana ended up with the Chiefs. Brady in Tampa. You can move off anybody. What would you What do you make of TJ Watt? I I agree with you big picture. I I think the problem is once they make the move to trade for DK Mechaf with Aaron Rodgers, they’re kind of all in on this season this year. That’s where TJ Watt kind of has them by the you know what because what are they going to do? He’s not the only their best player. as a couple people in the league pointed out, the problem with trading him, especially at this point in time, right before training camp, is his leadership and what he brings to the table in terms of that team. Like, he’s the heartbeat. He’s their Max Crosby. He’s just I mean, he stands for everything that that franchise is. And I I I think, think about this. They traded Ma Fitzpatrick for Jaylen Ramsey. So, the Rams put it on Jaylen Ramsey a couple years ago, and they also signed Darius Slay, who the Eagles just were like, “Yeah, it’s it’s ended here.” So they got two guys who the two of the top organizations were like, “Yeah, these guys are old and trending in the wrong way.” And you take for Minka Fitzpatrick who like TJ Watt checks all the boxes, you know, from a intangible standpoint. The problem is safety is kind of the new running back. People don’t value it as much. So they’re going more in the corners. I don’t think they have a choice with TJ Watt. They they almost if if I’m TJ, I do not show up until they capitulate to my demands, which is Miles Garrett, right? Uh Max Cry. I want 100 million new dollars coming my way. That’s the going rate for people like me. But that’s pretty questionable bit. I’ve supported the Bengals. It’s like you got the 30 31y old guy who wants Miles Garrett’s an outlier. He’s like a LeBron James physically. I I I would give an extension to an older player that’s built like that. To me, TJ Watt, Trey Hendrickson, it’s like I we have a long history of guys with their third contract. There’s a they’ve already been in the league close to a decade. You get beat up. It’s just you’re not quite the same as you once were. Well, when you go from being a 10 out of 10 to like, well, he’s like a 9.2 and then he’s an 8.8. You can get to like that six or five mark pretty quick. It’s a precipitous drop in football unlike some of these other sports. Some It’s almost like a baseball pitcher. Like he used to throw 95, now he’s throwing 92 and all of a sudden he’s throwing 85. You’re like, he’s shot. Oh, I remember Kurt Kurt Kurt Schilling telling me he would at the end of his career he goes, “I got 12 fast balls. I got 12 mid 90s and I’m gonna use them, you know, against the three hitter or a man on. And I think it’s the same thing as for the older pass rushers. They know when the red light it’s go time, but it’s they’re not giving you I mean, it’s just a different ball. They’re not giving you in week four against Carolina first quarter, it doesn’t feel the same as it does against the Ravens in the fourth quarter, overtime. To me, if you are going to entertain moving a guy like TJ Watt or if the Cowboys with Micah Parsons, you have to do it before the draft because I remember when Gruden did it, he got off to such a shitty start because he traded Cle Mack a week before the season. Those two first round picks that the Bears gave don’t give you any help those 16 17 games. So, it feels like what are we doing? So, they are in a position where I don’t think they have a choice. I I I think he’s you almost have to pay him. And that’s that’s risky business. But I’d argue trading for DK Medaf, you know, when your quarterback’s about to be Aaron Rogers who’s going to play one more season is not good. That to me is the craziest thing they’ve done this season. In what world are the Pittsburgh Steelers in the DK Mechaf market and giving him a third contract? I I thought that was I get Aaron Rogers, they don’t have any other choice, but the DK Mechaf, that’s who you’re going to give an enormous contract to is think about this. who have been battling injuries and had some personal foul issues with Pete Carol. So, they move off a highmaintenance sideline receiver with a big personality and and they acquire one. So, it’s like Omar Khan was kind of I don’t get a pattern. If you move off one, that’s good. Yeah. Um you can go get another receiver. It wouldn’t have been DK Metaf. Then they move off a guy who’s a little past his prime. Good player, Minka Fitzpatrick. getting expensive and then they bring in another defensive back who’s more expensive past his prime. So, I don’t see a plan. It feels like they’re just making moves to make moves. He got an extension. He’s fine. But I I I do feel like there’s a lot of people in the Pittsburgh building. They remind me a little bit of a better roster, but they feel a little bit like the Dallas Cowboys where I think they need new eyes in the building. The Lakers just sold all sorts of new eyes and opinions in the building. the Cowboys to me and the Steelers, it’s very insular. Um, you know, they’re they’re, you know, um, I can respect the brand. I can respect Tomlin, but when you lead the NFL, as it’s pivoted clearly to offense, if you lead the NFL for four straight years in defensive spending, that means Tomlin’s not getting enough push back in that building. you know, he’s not getting enough nos in that building cuz you can’t spend money like that and win Super Bowls in 2025. I I do think there’s actually some parallels the last couple years with the Lakers to the Steelers where when LeBron still had some juice, he did he was just living yeartoear. Do whatever it takes and and that can really bite you. For the first time, it felt like over the last 12 months the Lakers like Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee Lee LeBron we’re not doing crazy things with these late first round picks at the end of the decade. Like I’m sorry. The Steelers think about last year it’s like we got to try to win. Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, we’ll just do this little uh quarterback cocktail and see what works out this year. It’s like Aaron Rogers 41. It’s like this is not going to work out, guys. I mean, you know, the same thing over and over. The problem with doing it this way, at least with Kenny Picket, you swing for the fence, it doesn’t work out. People like, we understand if this gets ugly, it could get really ugly. I mean, what what would you put the percentage chance that How many 41 year olds don’t get hurt in NFL history? I would say it’s a pretty small list. You know, Brady, if you’re comparing Brady out, think about some of his contemporaries. Now, they had physical ailments. Breeze’s shoulder, Rod uh Rothosberger’s shoulder, Pton Manning, that last year. Elway had to say like, “We’re going to give you a month off.” Remember, it was like November. They’re like, “You’re just sit for a month.” And Osweiler came in the year they won the Super Bowl. The difference with Rogers, his arm still works, but like he can’t get away as fast. All of a sudden, you turn the corner and some dude on the Ravens breaks a bone and you’re just out. Roll an ankle. Well, you used to I wasn’t going to miss a game because I was 30 years old. Now, it’s a little harder at 40. It’s harder for older players at other positions, let alone the quarterback. It’s the only time of the year in those 17 games when they can actually hit you. And one thing we noticed last year is he’d have to hit the ground because I’m I’m not comfortable enough running away from these guys because I’m not as fast and especially off this Achilles injury. Well, you think he’s going to be faster this year? No. He’s a diminishing athlete. I I just if I was a betting man, are are they more likely to have Rogers play 17 games and win 10 or 11 or like by mid-season? It’s like I don’t think Roger’s going to make it through this season. Feels like that. If you just base on the history of sports, older guys usually get banged up. [Music]

Colin Cowherd is joined by ‘3 & Out’ host John Middlekauff to react to the latest in the NFL. Colin explains why he thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers should consider trading TJ Watt. Would this give Aaron Rodgers more weapons?

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18 comments

  4. Colin needs to move off this defensive spending thing. It's cyclical. They drafted well…that results in this. In 2017 they spent the most in the NFL on offense under Tomlin.

  6. Hey Colin, y does it matter? They live and die by their D, old school buddy.
    They won't get anything for TJ unless Comanders want him.
    Pgh has leverage you are not publicizing. Force to play…or not then tag him 2 years.
    I sign th for 3 years max unless yr 4 has an out or is tied to stats. Dude is still a beast guys. Look at forced fumbles. Pgh needs to bring more blitz this yr to stop the doubles.

  9. I like a good offense, even if it's the other team's. Most great defensive plays are boring – only goal line stands and interceptions get me excited.
    As far as TJ Watt, he could quit and do buddy movies with his handsome brother.

  12. But Colin, one thing about this defense, they turn the ball over. This team last year had 30 defensive turnovers, all they did this year was improve that offense. Truly enough when you look at it this way, the defense may let up a lot of yards, but one thing they do is they win you close games. This defense also has a turnover late and early in the game it feels like. Watt has 6 ff just by himself last year, not including herbig, not including queen or highsmith.

  14. What leadership does Watt bring? I don’t remember him getting in Picketts face during his tantrums last year or him chewing out the defense when giving up 300 yards to the Ravens.

  15. I think the Steelers issue is not that they focus on defense. It’s that they’ve drafted horribly for over 10 years at this point. Other than hitting on TJ, Shazier and Tuitt (the last two being the last time they hit on their 1st and 2nd picks in same draft), they pretty much whiffed on everyone else, specially in the early rounds. The Eagles are able to spend money on the likes of Saquon and AJ Brown because they draft defense and the trenches really well. But when you’re wasting first round picks on Najee, Pickett, Edmunds, Burns, Bush and others, you really put yourself at a disadvantage.

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