Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon thinks T.J. Watt 's current contract is one of the worst in the NFL. He tabbed Watt's three-year, $123 million ($108 million guaranteed) that was signed in 2025 as the fifth-worst contract in the league.
Watt, who turns 32 in October, production has decreased significantly in the last two seasons. Despite a warning sign late in the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers still opted to give Watt a massive deal.
"The 31-year-old's sack numbers have plummeted from 19 in 2023 to 11.5 in 2024 to seven in 2025. This was his first relatively full non-All-Pro season since 2018, indicating that a decline is well underway," Gagnon wrote. "Even if the Steelers move on after the 2027 campaign, Watt will have cost the team $94 million in salary and dead-cap charges for just two seasons of work."
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt during a game against the New England Patriots on Sept. 21, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Colin Cowherd of FS1 thinks it's a no-brainer that the Steelers should trade Watt.
"Go get a first-round pick," Cowherd said. " T.J. Watt gets you a first round pick, it's not that difficult. The Giants got a top-10 pick for Dexter Lawrence off an off-season. The Ravens were going to give up two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby ."
With the Steelers signing Nick Herbig to a four-year, $100 million deal earlier this month, perhaps now is the time to part ways with Watt.
"They're the worst poker players in the world. Right now they have the second-oldest and the most expensive defense. Nothing disqualifies you more for a Super Bowl than an old and expensive defense… Guys, evolve. Move off older players!" Cowherd said.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport threw cold water on the notion that the Steelers would trade Watt.
"As soon as it became clear that Herbig was gonna get a deal, it was like, 'Hold on, they have so much money on the edge. What are they gonna do with T.J.? What are they gonna do with Highsmith?'" Rapoport said on "The Pat McAfee Show" last week. "My sense this year is nothing. I don't get the sense Highsmith is going anywhere. … T.J. Watt is not going anywhere this year. He is not. He is gonna play for the Pittsburgh Steelers."
However, after this campaign, Rapoport believes that one of the two guys could be shipped away. Although Watt, the Steelers' all-time leading sack-getter, is a cornerstone of the franchise, his contemporary, Myles Garrett was sent to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this week after nine fabled go-rounds with the Cleveland Browns .
"Now, after this year, I would imagine they have a decision to make one way or the other," Rapoport said of Watt and Highsmith. "T.J. Watt's contract is enormous. He has been a one helmet player. I would say every one helmet player, you'd sort of like them to stay in the uniform, but we have learned — as we did this past week — that there is a price for everyone, so we'll see where that goes."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Analyst Tabs T.J. Watt's Contract Among Worst in NFL: 'Decline Is Well Underway'
Related Headlines
