The 3 players on the Steelers who are untradable

Nearly every NFL team has talented players they would deem as untradable. Oftentimes, this label applies to a franchise quarterback or a star who is boarding on legendary status. In other cases, players become untradable due to egregious contract numbers that no other team would be willing to take on. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a few players who fall into both categories.

Being 'untradable' applies to those no-trade clauses in their contract, there are plenty of other reasons why a team would refuse any hypothetical offer they would receive from a competitor for one of their best players. The Steelers currently have three untradable players on their roster.

1. T.J. Watt, EDGE

You don't have to look far to see why the Pittsburgh Steelers would never entertain the idea of trading T.J. Watt. The 2017 first-round pick has blown away all expectations. Very early on, Watt was no longer referred to as 'J.J. Watt's little brother'. His dominant performances helped him pave a legendary path of his own.

In his first seven seasons, Watt led the NFL in sacks three times while tying Michael Strahan for the all-time single-season sack record with 22.5 sacks in 2021. His brilliance on the football field helped him earn Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021, and he finished in the top three in DPOY voting four times.

With six Pro Bowls and four First-Team All-Pro honors, Watt already has a Hall of Fame resume. The Steelers value keeping legendary players for their whole careers. Watt is going to retire a Steeler, and he's going to be considered one of the greatest to ever suit up for the Black and Gold.

2. Minkah Fitzpatrick, FS

Though he's not on Watt's level, with respect to his position, Minkah Fitzpatrick is a perennial Pro Bowl player in his own right. Since being traded to the Steelers just two games into the 2019 season, Fitzpatrick has raked in 17 interceptions while finishing as a top ten Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2022.

However, the reasons Minkah is untradable are twofold. In addition to being a three-time First-Team All-Pro player in the prime of his NFL career -- the reason the Steelers will want to hang onto him -- Fitzpatrick has a contract that makes him difficult to trade.

The way that Fitzpatrick's contract is structured has the Steelers taking a cap hit of between $21.3 million to $23.4 million in each of the next three seasons. Though a team trading for him would only have to worry about the base salary, this number still averages in at nearly $16 million per season through 2026.

With today's quick passing game in the NFL, safeties don't hold a fraction of the value they used to, and no team is going to want to give up elite draft capital and dish out top money for a safety -- even one as good as Minkah. The Steelers won't trade him even if there is a suitor.

3. Cameron Heyward, DL

As the longest-tenured player on the team, a perennial Pro Bowler, three-time First-Team All-Pro, and Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner, the Pittsburgh Steelers have no incentive to trade their best leader of this generation. Cameron Heyward is entering his 14th NFL season, and at this point, the front office will do everything in their power to make sure he finishes his playing career with the team that took him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

At 35 years old with a $22.4 million cap number ($16 million base salary), no team would be willing to give enough draft capital to the Steelers to make a trade worth their while. Heyward's status, age, and contract make him untradable.