Several high-profile Pittsburgh Steelers veterans reported to OTAs on Tuesday. Chief among them was NOT TJ Watt, who is entering the final year of his contract and is in his age-31 season. Watt has every reason to keep it casual with the Steelers until he has a new deal. This is not the first time his relationship has been frosty with the organization, but he rarely crosses lines during contract negotiations. However, it's time for Steelers fans to sound the alarms.
Watt is coming off his worst season in quite some time. He took a step back from his usual Defensive Player of the Year-caliber self. TJ is getting older, and father time is undefeated. However, he'd prefer at least one last payday as an elite player. Even in a base season, Watt is good for 10+ sacks. On a Steelers defense which thrives on rushing the passer, his accomplishments are valued to a great degree. ESPN's Benjamin Solak hinted at what could be a major shakeup in the Steelers core after this season:
I find it interesting that T.J. Watt is in the final year of his deal with pretty much no smoke about an upcoming extension. I find this doubly interesting when you consider that he is 31 and coming off his worst season as a pro. And I find it triply interesting that Watt has never won a playoff game with the Steelers, who may be approaching a massive organizational overhaul if coach Mike Tomlin cannot figure out the quarterback position. Just a thought!" Solak wrote.
TJ Watt and the Steelers are heading for a split
All of Solak's points are valid. However, there's one he didn't make, which is that players at premier positions (non-QB edition) don't often get long-term contracts when over the age of 30. Watt is a Hall-of-Fame talent, and one can only hope he's enshrined in Canton as a member of the Steelers. That being said, Pittsburgh will have to pay up for that right. That puts Omar Khan between a rock and hard place – if they sign Watt long term, odds are Pittsburgh won't be competitive for the entirety of his contract.
The Steelers gave up nearly 300 rushing yards in their last playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh has been one-and-done at best since 2016. Tomlin is a tremendous coach, but he hasn't made the most of the talent around him. This includes Watt, who (as Solak mentioned) hasn't won a single postseason game.
A split might be best for both sides, even if it causes some drama in the interim.