The Pittsburgh Steelers signed unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Armon Watts this past week and now the details of that one-year deal have surfaced.
According to the NFLPA database update, Watts, who played for the Chicago Bears last season, signed a one-year contract that totals out at $1.2325 million. That total includes a signing bonus of $152,500, which is the only guaranteed money involved in the deal. Last season, Watts made $2.54 million after receiving a Proven Performance Escalator after first three NFL seasons.
Watts’ deal qualifies as a veteran benefit contract in the CBA so that means he’ll have a reduced cap charge in 2023 of $1,092,500, which is the amount of a player with two credited seasons plus the $152,500 signing bonus.
In 2022, Watts logged a total of 532 defensive snaps in addition to 16 more on special teams. Last season he registered 35 total tackles with four of those resulting in lost yardage. He also was credited with one sack, and two quarterback hits in the 17 regular season games that he played in 2022.
For his NFL career to date, Watts, who was originally selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round (190th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Arkansas, has eight sacks, 125 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hits in 57 games played in. He also has a pass defensed and three forced fumbles for his NFL career.
