7 NFL players who will sign the next massive contract extensions
1. T.J. Watt, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Whenever the Pittsburgh Steelers selected T.J. Watt with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft — much to the chagrin of Cowboys fans as Dallas took Taco Charlton just a few picks prior — there were big expectations for the Wisconsin product. And over his first three years in the league, he’s done nothing but get better and develop into the player they wanted him to be.
The 2019 campaign was Watt’s crowning achievement as he earned First-Team All-Pro honors and, frankly, could’ve won Defensive Player of the Year. Pittsburgh’s star edge rusher racked up 14.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, 36 QB hits and 55 total tackles on the year. Rest assured, it wasn’t just empty box score stats either.
PFF (subscription required) graded Watt as the best edge defender in the league last season. He earned the highest grade on pass-rush snaps at the position in addition to having the eighth-best run defense grade as well. Considering this was just his third NFL season, he’s clearly shown that he deserves a monster long-term contract.
Next. Predicting the entire 2020 NFL season before camp. dark
What will be interesting for Watt, however, is how he fits into the Steelers’ current financial situation. Not only is Pittsburgh already up against the cap but they have looming decisions with JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner and Bud Dupree, among others, as well. Watt, however, should be the priority as a cornerstone defender that they can continue to build the unit around.