It's a matter of when, not if the Steelers sign pass-rusher TJ Watt to a contract extension this summer. Watt is one of the most accomplished sack artists of his era, and while he showed some signs of slowing down last season and is on the wrong side of 30, Pittsburgh has little choice but to back up a brinks truck for him. Watt is that important to this defense, which received some great news on Monday night in the form of a different extension.
The Steelers signed breakout safety DeShon Elliott, who starred opposite of Minkah Fitzpatrick last year, to a two-year contract extension. What may sound like minor news across the NFL landscape is actually huge for Pittsburgh, as Elliott was a Pro Bowl-caliber player in 2024, and allows the Steelers to take some chances with their pass rush and in coverage schemes. Pittsburgh's defense is buoyed by Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cam Heyward and Watt – the entire league knows this – but the Steelers wouldn't be able to put their stars in positions to succeed without the stability a player like Elliott offers.
Why did the Pittsburgh Steelers extend DeShon Elliott?
Elliott was one of the Steelers best run defenders last season. As a former sixth-round pick, he is used to being doubted, as he was overlooked as a member of the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens. Just last year, Elliott had two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, four tackles for loss and 108 combined tackles.
As for Watt, Elliott's extension is great news for several reasons. First is what I just mentioned – Elliott is an asset in coverage and gives Watt that extra half second to sack a quarterback while they're second guessing. The second is the dollars and cents. Because Elliott signed an affordable two-year, $12.5 million deal with just $9.21 million guaranteed, there should be plenty of money left over for Pittsburgh to extend Watt as well. Keeping Elliott around long-term was a major question mark heading into OTAs and training camp. The Steelers managed to provide an answer far earlier than most pundits expected.
TJ Watt is a big fan of Steelers latest extension
The Steelers are between a rock and hard place with Watt. Myles Garrett received a four-year, $160 million extension from the Browns this offseason. While the pair are intense rivals, Garrett is also over a year younger than Watt, and had a better 2024 season. Pittsburgh is in a tough position because they can't invest too many resources into one player, especially on a defense that is already the highest-paid in the NFL. They also don't want to get on Watt's bad side, which could happen if they lowball him come training camp.
Signing Elliott to a team-friendly contract does give the Steelers the ability to give Watt a blank check, should they choose. The fine print and guaranteed money will determine whether Pittsburgh mortgaged their future, or made another savvy business decision. At the very least, Elliott's deal provides them with some flexibility.