The Pittsburgh Steelers might be planning to extend their best defensive player, but when you look at the big picture, it makes no sense.
This franchise needs a reboot in the worst way, as the Steelers have been stuck in this outdated, defensive mindset for a while now, and their failure to adapt to the modern-day tendencies of the NFL is what is currently hurting this franchise.
For years now, Pittsburgh has failed to put a viable QB solution in place but have had no issues overspending on the defensive side of the ball. According to Over The Cap, they are spending about $92 million on offense but a whopping $179 million on offense.
This should honestly be flipped, but it does not seem like Mike Tomlin and co. want to let go of the past. Well, they could be on the cusp of making another huge mistake in this regard...
The Steelers could be making a huge mistake
Here is Steelers insider Mark Kaboly on the TJ Watt-Steelers situation:
"Pittsburgh Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly believes TJ Watt has already received a "pretty significant" offer to return to Pittsburgh.Julia Stumbaugh/Mark Kaboly
"I'm under the belief that there is a contract offer on the table right now, which is pretty significant," Kaboly recently said at the 15:10 mark of the Kaboly and Mack podcast.
Watt has been absent from Steelers OTAs as he prepares to head into the final season of his current four-year, $112 million deal.
Chris Mack then asked Kaboly if the offer that had been made to Watt was "Garrett money."
Myles Garrett reset the market for defensive players with the four-year, $160 million deal he signed with the Cleveland Browns this offseason."
Someone would have to talk to me like a child and tell me why extending TJ Watt, who is turning 31 years old in a few months, is a good idea? Pittsburgh doesn't have a franchise QB and do not have a path to win anything of substance this year. The logical path foward is for this team to actually trade TJ Watt to the highest bidder, stock up on draft picks, and make a huge push for a franchise QB in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Extending Watt is only going to delay the inevitable for this ftranchise. If the Steelers had any sense in them, GM Omar Khan would get on the phones right now to try and find a top offer to trade TJ Watt. This is how an NFL team builds for the future - sometimes you have to make tough decisions - and no NFL team is going to sustain success without being aggressive. making tough decisions, and taking their lumps.