We head into uncharted waters this offseason. After years of consistency and complacency, the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to start brand new.
Changes started when Omar Khan took over for Kevin Colbert a few years back. Now, with a new head coach set to take the stage, there will be a brand new mantra for the team this year.
This can lead to some surprise moves and hard choices to make. Naturally, that brings up some hard conversations to have.
Pittsburgh needs to have one of those with T.J. Watt.
While the future Hall of Fame edge rusher has been a staple of this defense, he has fallen on hard times in recent years. With a bloated salary, Watt could be on borrowed time in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to make a gameplan with T.J. Watt
Watt bottomed out this season after signing a massive contract in the offseason. After a season where he just recorded 11.5 sacks, Watt followed that up with a putrid number of only seven. He was third among the edge rushers, as both Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig outpaced him.
In reference, that was his lowest number since a few years back when he missed most of the season. In terms of mostly healthy years, that was his worst year since his rookie season.
I know, Watt gets a lot of attention, and his presence helps the other players see good opportunities to win one-on-one while Watt is double-teamed and chipped. That said, he still needs to produce.
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Myles Garrett also gets a lot of attention, and he just set the NFL sack record.
I do think part of the issue has been the scheme. The defense keeps Watt on his side and moves him around very little. Garrett sees plenty of snaps on both sides of the line and even sees interior snaps at times.
This makes it harder for offenses to game-plan and adjust to a star pass rusher. His usage has done him no favors.
That said, his play has dipped as well. He’s getting older, so regression isn’t out of the question. Given his price tag, though, that can’t be allowed.
So, what is the game plan for Watt moving forward? It would be impossible to cut him, as you would have to swallow a massive dead cap charge.
You can try to trade him, but you are trading him at an all-time low evaluation with a big contract. You aren’t fetching a first or potentially even a second-round pick for him. He brings more value to the team than what you get for trading him.
That said, if he has another down season, it becomes even harder to justify him staying around. He needs a bounce-back season in 2026. If he doesn’t, the tough conversation this year only gets harder next season.