Could the Pittsburgh Steelers really trade OLB T.J. Watt? The Steelers certainly seem to have no interest in the idea despite reports of multiple teams inquiring about a potential trade. But after trading S Minkah Fitzpatrick away in the deal for CB Jalen Ramsey, can we really rule anything out?
Probably not. But should the Steelers trade Watt? That’s exactly what former NFL DB and current analyst Will Blackmon debated on Tuesday’s episode of Speak on FS1.
“Not just no, but hell no,” Blackmon said. “It’s just crazy. T.J. Watt is one of the most dominant, not just defensive players, but just football players in the entire league… He affects every part of the game defensively. He creates turnovers. Because of his dominance on defense, it actually kind of buys time for the offense if they’re making mistakes. To do this, if you’re gonna trade someone like that, then you must just say, ‘hey, we’re gonna tank, we’re gonna be in a complete rebuild, we have no business keeping this guy.’ For them to even consider this, if I’m them, I’m hanging up every single phone call.”
Should the Steelers consider any trade offers for T.J. Watt?
“Not just no, but hell no!” — @WillBlackmon pic.twitter.com/Z3Y1tNwwcA
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) July 1, 2025
T.J. Watt is not just a fantastic pass rusher. Sure, he’s got 108 career regular-season sacks and another 126 tackles for a loss. But he is much more than that. He can drop back into coverage, with seven career interceptions and another 49 passes knocked down. Also, he has 33 career forced fumbles and 12 fumble recoveries, one of which he’s returned for a touchdown.
Watt is a threat whether he’s rushing the quarterback or dropping back from the line of scrimmage. That kind of versatility isn’t common. It’s a big part of what makes him so vital to the Steelers’ defense. And it’s what makes him so coveted by other teams around the league. While the Steelers traded Fitzpatrick as part of the Ramsey deal, any trade for Watt would likely start off with first-round draft picks.
Now, T.J. Watt is 30 years old and will turn 31 during the 2025 season. There is the question of just how much longer he will be effective. That’s why trading him would make sense if they were trying to rebuild, as Blackmon said. But that would fly in the face of most of the other big moves the Steelers have made this offseason. Basically, you don’t sign QB Aaron Rodgers and trade for WR DK Metcalf, CB Jalen Ramsey, and TE Jonnu Smith if you’re going into rebuilding mode.
At one point this offseason, pragmatism may have demanded the Steelers at least consider trading T.J. Watt. But that time has long since passed Pittsburgh by. Whether general manager Omar Khan uses profanity, hangs up the phone immediately, or politely declines trade offers doesn’t matter. The Steelers want to sign Watt to a contract extension. Whether that happens during training camp or right before the season starts, only time will tell.
