Jeremy Fowler shares T.J. Watt contract update backing 7x Pro Bowler to break edge rusher market set by $160,000,000 star

T.J. Watt has been a key component of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2017, making six All-Pros and seven Pro Bowls. He's also led the league in sacks thrice and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. And he enters a critical point in his career, there's a promising update regarding his contract.

The star pass rusher is entering the final year of a contract extension that he signed in 2021. In the years since then, his position's market has exploded, with Maxx Crosby ($106.5 million over three years) and Myles Garrett ($160 million over four years) setting the standard for massive contracts in 2025 alone.

And on Saturday's episode of SportsCenter, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler said:

"I talked to somebody with the team who said, 'Look, these are complicated deals to do, but we are working on it. We want T.J. Watt here.'"

He continued:

"This is a situation where he's probably going to be the highest-paid edge rusher in the league when this is all said and done. It just depends on when the Steelers can do it. Typically, they like to do their deals either around training camp or leading into Week 1. So this is far from over."

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Radio host proposes T.J. Watt trade to Eagles

Of course, the alternative course of action for the Steelers is to trade away T.J. Watt. That seems plausible given the priciness of the rest of the roster, especially new wide receiver DK Metcalf.

And on Tuesday, 93.7 The Fan's Andrew Filipponi paid a visit to 94WIP's midday show to make one such proposal: the edge rusher crossing over Pennsylvania to the Philadelphia Eagles for Nolan Smith and a 2026 first-round pick. He told host Joe Giglio:

“I think they make that trade. I really do. If something like that were ever put on the table, I think (the Steelers) would get younger, because they could also sell it as, ‘Well, we get a player like this, we’re not punting on the season with a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers.’”

He continued:

“I think that would be the type of thing that would get Mike Tomlin’s attention, especially if he thinks T.J. Watt doesn’t want to play here and is too expensive and is 30 years old. So, I don’t know. I mean, I would think originally, ‘Hey, a first-round pick and then you go from there.’”

The Steelers resume practice on July 24.