Steelers Insider Confirms There Is An Excellent Contract Offer On The Table For TJ Watt

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an eventful offseason, highlighted by major departures and impactful additions. The team has remained in the media spotlight thanks to these significant roster moves, as well as ongoing contract negotiations with key players. One of the most talked-about is star edge rusher and fan favorite, TJ Watt.

Watt is entering the final year of his current contract, and while reports indicate that negotiations have started, they don’t appear to be going smoothly. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly recently mentioned on his podcast Kaboly + Mack that a contract offer is likely already on the table, raising questions about why Watt has yet to sign.

"I'm under the belief that there is a contract offer on the table right now, which is pretty significant, however, it's probably not what he thinks it is," Kaboly said.

The main source of speculation centers around the current market for defensive contracts. The NFL’s salary cap has steadily increased over the years, which has naturally impacted the contract expectations of the league’s top players. Although this growth gives teams more financial leeway, it doesn’t guarantee consensus on the rising price tags attached to elite talent. Fittipaldo recognizes the expanding cap, but suggests that it doesn’t automatically warrant the continual surge in contract values.

Many are pointing to the recent contract extension signed by Myles Garrett, the standout edge rusher for the Cleveland Browns, as a major factor in the delay of negotiations with Watt. Garrett’s record-breaking deal made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, surpassing the previous top salary by an impressive $5 million per year and setting a new standard for elite defensive contracts.

Before Garrett’s extension, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders held the title of highest-paid edge rusher, having recently signed a hefty three-year, $106.5 million deal just days earlier. Interestingly, there were earlier reports that Garrett had considered requesting a trade from the Browns at the start of the offseason. However, instead of moving on, he chose to stay in Cleveland, signing a massive four-year, $160 million extension. This deal not only secured his future with the Browns, but also significantly impacted the market for top defensive contracts across the league.

Kaboly went on in his podcast to speculate about the reason for the delay. He believes that while the Steelers have likely made a substantial offer to Watt, it doesn’t quite match the value of the recent massive contracts signed by other top defensive players. In his view, the deal on the table is significant, but still falls short of setting a new market standard.

"There is an offer on the table, I just assume since he's not signing... something is holding him up, and it's probably just the amount," Kaboly said.

Many fans are eager to see Watt stay with the team, given his talents and popularity. However, with massive contracts recently signed by players like Crosby and Garrett, some fans are hesitant about committing such a large financial investment. While the Steelers already have a few high-paying contracts on the books, there is still room in the budget to make a major deal like this happen, if the organization is fully committed to keeping Watt long-term.

Steelers May Opt For A Similar Extension Structure For Watt As Before

The last time Watt was up for a contract extension, the Steelers waited until just before the start of the regular season to finalize the deal. Despite increased speculation and pressure from fans, analysts, and the media alike, the organization stuck to its usual approach of handling major extensions later in the offseason. Watt eventually signed a record-breaking contract just days before the season opener, making him the highest-paid defensive player in the league at the time. This pattern suggests the Steelers may be taking a similar approach again, waiting until the final stretch of the offseason to lock in one of their biggest stars.

Do you want to see Watt re-sign with the Steelers? What do you think the contract will look like? Let us know in the comments below!

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