JJ Watt Delivers Strong Message To Steelers About A TJ Watt Extension: "It Creates Unnecessary Tension"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot to do over the next several months in order to consider the 2025 offseason a success. General Manager Omar Khan should be able to put together a quality free-agent class as the organization is near the top of the league in available cap space for 2025. If the front office can pull that off while drafting some top talent at positions of need, the Steelers will just have a few things to take care of in-house to complete the roster. One is the quarterback situation, while the other is a new deal for star outside linebacker TJ Watt. 

Watt's current deal expires following the 2025 season, and it should be a no-brainer to get the star defender a new deal before the season kicks off. The new extension will be lucrative, as he is currently projected to receive roughly $32 million per year. Other veteran edge rushers were also due a pay day going into the 2025 offseason, as Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett each reset the market with their own new deals. This could hurt the Steelers as Watt could command more money after he saw his counterparts sign expensive contracts.

TJ's brother, JJ Watt, has been fairly vocal about his brother's new deal. He went on The Pat McAfee Show earlier in the week and described how the Steelers could have extended TJ for cheaper had they gotten a deal done ahead of the 2024 season. JJ spoke about contracts on social media on Sunday, and his comments seemed to relate to what is going on between TJ and Pittsburgh.

JJ was responding to criticism about how the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys have handled their contract situations with their younger players, but the message still resonates to other situations across the league. Whenever a team has a player coming up for a new deal, it is important to get the deal done before players at the same position get paid across the league. In this case the Steelers are behind the eight ball, as both Crosby and Garret got new deals before TJ.

TJ has been one of the most dominant defenders in the league since being drafted in 2017. He has been one of the most impactful players to wear the black and gold throughout the history of the organization, and it is important to keep him in Pittsburgh for the remainder of his career. There are some sects of the fan base that want to trade TJ in order to gain significant draft compensation to jumpstart the rest of the roster, but it is far more likely that a new extension is agreed to by both sides.

Steelers Need To Work To Get A Deal Done With TJ Watt Soon

The Steelers were behind the Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders in signing their star edge rusher, but they can still get an effective deal done before other franchises. Trey Hendrickson is expected to get a new deal, although it seems like he will be traded by Cincinnati before that happens. Micah Parsons is also going to get a new deal during the 2025 offseason, and TJ's new contract needs to be done before both of theirs.

TJ has been open that he wants to win, especially since he has not won a playoff game during his career. This may motivate him to take a deal worth less money so that it can preserve some resources for the organization to build the rest of the roster. Pittsburgh does not conduct contract discussions during the season, so a deal has to get done before the season begins. It is better for all parties involved if that deal gets finished sooner rather than later.

What kind of deal do you expect TJ to sign? Let us know in the comments below!

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