Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt , who turns 32 in October, has seen his production decrease significantly in the last two seasons. Some believe Watt is washed, but former Steelers safety Solomon Wilcots thinks the eight-time Pro Bowler is primed for a bounce-back season.
Myles Garrett is out of the division, but Wilcots believes Garrett winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the second time last season is in the back of Watt's mind.
"This dude, year after year after year, gets double-digit numbers. He's a sure-shot Hall of Famer, but he's still, in my mind, in his prime this year. This year, they're going to be moving him around; he wants to do it. I think he's driven by Myles Garrett. I think the two drive each other. There's a cold war that exists between these two, having played in the same division, in the same draft class," Wilcots said on The Opening Drive on SiriusXM NFL Radio."
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt at practice on Oct. 23, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon thinks 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.
With Watt's massive contract and declining production, trade speculation has been sparked by talking heads.
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 ."
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport threw cold water on the notion that the Steelers would trade Watt, however.
"As soon as it became clear that [Nick] 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."
Watt revealed earlier this month that he'll move around more in Patrick Graham's defense. Watt typically only lined up at the left outside linebacker position.
"A lot of us are interchangeable partners," Watt said. "You're not just learning your position. You kind of have to learn the whole defensive front structure because we all are basically interchangeable."
Watt admitted he was hard-headed when it came to moving around the defense.
"I think in the past, it was a little bit more about me being stubborn ," Watt said. "I think this new system allows [more of that, because] a lot of it is built in, so I really can't say no. I have to move with it. A lot of us are interchangeable parts. You're not just learning your position, you kind of have to learn the whole defensive front structure because we all are basically interchangeable. We can do different things, so I think you're going to see a lot more movement of not just me, but the whole front."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Ex-Steelers Safety Expects Bounce-Back Season From T.J. Watt: 'Driven by Myles Garrett'
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