T.J. Watt is universally regarded as one of the NFL's best defenders and players. Everyone knows it, and perhaps no one is more aware of this than the Pittsburgh Steelers, considering they've had a front-row seat to his greatness for years now. So, rather than haggling with the superstar edge rusher over looming contract extension talks this offseason, the Black and Gold should put pen to paper as soon as possible.
Watt has one year remaining on the four-year, $112.011 million deal he signed in 2021. However, Steelers owner Art Rooney II has publicly expressed his desire to ensure the five-time All-Pro stays in Pittsburgh "for the future" this offseason. But if how things transpired the last time the two sides negotiated is any indication, this might drag out longer than anyone wants it to.
The Steelers and Watt couldn't agree on an extension until the day before the 2021 campaign began. Will history repeat itself? With the extensive list of high-end pass rushers expected to receive massive paydays in the coming months, getting ahead of the curve behooves Pittsburgh.
Trying to play hardball with TJ Watt extension will only make things worse for Steelers
Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby and possibly Aidan Hutchinson are sack artists who join Watt as candidates for colossal multi-year pacts this offseason. And as we've become accustomed to seeing, resetting positional market value is a domino effect combined with a game of hot potato.
Once the first person gets paid, it sets a starting point for the next player's contract discussions (and so on). Eventually, the last one standing swoops in and tops them all -- until the next star is eyeing an extension. The Steelers are better off avoiding this vicious cycle and meeting Watt's presumably lofty demands, because his price will only go up with time.
Conversely, supply and demand create a plausible argument that the Steelers should be in no rush. With many other high-profile edge defenders in limbo with their respective teams, why blink first? The front office can use the abundance of players in Watt's situation against him to gain leverage, though it has the potential to backfire tremendously.
While age is a reasonable concern, considering Watt turns 31 in October, he's still operating at an exceptionally elite level. Pro Football Focus graded him as the third-best overall edge defender out of 211 qualified players this season. The 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year ranked sixth among his peers as a pass rusher and first as a run-stopper.