In a Pittsburgh Steelers offseason that’s been full of storylines, the latest one involves star edge rusher T.J. Watt. It’s not the first time Watt and the team have struggled to find common ground on a contract extension, but this go-around did include Watt making a statement by skipping mandatory minicamp last week.
Many have speculated that Watt wants a market-resetting contract. One that does so would have to top Myles Garrett, who is making $40 million per year on his new deal. CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala doesn’t think Garrett’s contract plays into these negotiations much, though.
“I got asked that, too,” Kinkhabwala said Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan. “‘Oh, is T.J. Watt’s whole contract situation being held up by Myles Garrett?’ And my response to that is T.J. Watt is not that petty. This is not about, ‘Oh I need one penny more than Myles Garrett.'”
Whatever deal Watt ends up getting, it’s going to be a big one. He’s heading into the last year of a contract that pays him a base salary of just over $21 million for the 2025 season. That feels like a lot of money, but for Watt, it’s pennies on the dollar compared to some of the other edge rushers who have recently signed extensions.
Maxx Crosby and Danielle Hunter, two other premier pass rushers, each have new deals paying significantly more. Crosby’s is a three-year extension that pays him $35.5 million per year. For Hunter, it’s just a one-year extension, but it’s worth a hefty $35.6 million. Both of those two are terrific players in their own right. But Watt could certainly make the argument that he deserves more money than each of them.
However, there are a couple more variables in play with Watt this time around. He’s now on the wrong side of 30. And while his 2024 season was a really good one, it was a bit of a decline from his numbers in previous years. Both of those things could cause the Steelers to fret about giving him such a large deal. Especially since it’s one that will likely take him into his mid-30s.
Kinkhabwala’s reporting is in line with recent reporting from Adam Schefter, who doesn’t expect Watt’s deal to top Garrett’s. And in reality, it would make sense if it didn’t. The Browns were dealing with a player who requested a trade. Sometimes to change a player’s mind in that situation, you have to back up the Brink’s truck. Pittsburgh’s situation doesn’t really compare to the Browns’.
Still, the Steelers are in their own tough situation with Watt. On the bright side, it does seem like all parties are in favor of figuring out a deal sooner rather than later. There’s still plenty of time left, but it does seem that Watt isn’t keeping Garrett’s contract in mind as much as some may have thought.
