If you were sick of hearing about the Pittsburgh Steelers trading for a top-tier veteran quarterback (almost certainly not happening) or trading Mike Tomlin (which we know isn’t going to happen), may I interest in you someone talking about trading T.J. Watt?
I know, you probably aren’t. But Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist and radio co-host Ron Cook made the case to deal Watt away on 93.7 The Fan Friday morning, asking (and telling) the PPG’s Ray Fittipaldo if Watt should be on the move.
“If you don’t look at them as a legit Super Bowl contender right now, and I don’t, I would consider trading T.J. Watt,” Cook said. “I don’t think they will because I think they always look at themselves as a Super Bowl contender even though they haven’t won a playoff game in seven years. But would it be outrageous to consider that possibility?”
Yes. Yes, it would be outrageous. Obviously, this isn’t going to happen. And Cook acknowledges as much. But even asking the question feels ridiculous. While Watt would fetch a tremendous haul in a hypothetical trade, the Steelers would do that only if they were fully rebuilding, taking the franchise down to the studs. Cook has essentially suggested as much, telling the team to move on from Mike Tomlin and now wanting Watt to go with him.
Trade away Watt, the Steelers won’t win (they’re 1-11 without him), the team tanks, and most of that coaching staff and front office gets fired. It’s cutting off your nose to spite your face. And then you get laughed at for the next three years as Watt dominates the league somewhere else.
Though Cook is right about the Steelers’ lack of playoff success, they get to the dance each year in part because of Watt. If this team can figure out its quarterback situation and find an established starter, it can win in the postseason. If they can find a franchise guy, or turn Kenny Pickett into that guy, they can be a Super Bowl contender. Fittpaldo’s answer was probably the same as yours, understanding that the Steelers aren’t going to move a pillar of their franchise like Watt. There are other ways to improve the Steelers without dealing away the team’s best player.
Clearly, we’re already in offseason material. For Cook and for us, otherwise we probably wouldn’t pay this much mind. I’ll admit to that. But it’s the spiciest Steelers take you’ll hear of the day and it’s not just coming from some random corner of the Internet. Have at it in the comments below.
