4 reasons Steelers may not re-sign T.J. Watt to a second contract

His brother’s cautionary tale

When Watt’s brother was up for an extension with the Texans in 2014, he remained loyal to the team that drafted him despite some issues prevalent with the franchise. While the team didn’t bottom out after he resigned, they never really found consistent success either. Watt had some success despite the team’s overall struggles, but he missed out on being a true Super Bowl contender for the majority of his prime.

Now, he is a free agent for the first time, but he is likely to take a job as a role player as opposed to being a core player on a defense. If Watt signs with the Steelers, he could be in a similar spot in a few years from now. If the team goes through the struggles they are expected to, Watt may be sacrificing the prime of his career to be playing on a rebuilding franchise.

He may use his brother as a cautionary tale before committing to the Steelers. If he wants to be a part of a competitive franchise for the majority of his prime as a player, he shouldn’t sign with the team. His brother learned this the hard way and he now is in search of a new team despite being in his thirties. The younger Watt may learn from this and try to find a competitive team to play out his second contract with.

Again, the Steelers should be willing and ready to pay Watt top dollar to retain his services. He is simply too good of a player to let go of. That said, if Watt wants to continue playing for a competitor, he may try to force his way out of Pittsburgh. The Steelers should try to keep him, but there is little guarantee he will be willing to sign an extension.