3 reasons Steelers shouldn’t sign J.J. Watt this offseason

What role would he play?

If the two issues above weren’t enough, where would the team even play Watt if they signed him? He is far too big to be an edge rusher, yet too light to move to nose tackle. He would have to settle in as a reserve end, a role that would be a tough pill for a player as talented as him to swallow. He would go from a dominant and feared opponent to one that only sees the field 15-20 times each week.

Watt still has the talent to start, even if it is in more of a limited capacity. The idea that he will settle for being a backup just to play with his brothers is unlikely. While I’m sure he would love to play with the Steelers and his brother, he won’t do it at the cost of his remaining talented years. Him coming to the team would limit his options going forward.

Considering he would have to take a huge discount as well to play here and it makes the case for Watt coming to the Steelers even more unlikely. Why go to a team that is going to pay and play you less than another team? While it would be fun to think about and it would make our defense that much more potent, Watt coming to the Steelers would be the wrong move for his career. It could still happen, but it would take quite the sacrifice from Watt.

If he is willing to be a reserve and play for the minimum, then by all means Watt should take his talents to the Steelers. As it stands though, that makes little sense for the veteran. While the idea of playing with his brothers sounds appealing, it would come at a great cost for his personal career. It could happen I guess, but a lot of unlikely things would have to fall into place first.