Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a new era with veteran head coach Mike McCarthy taking over, could this team, which is filled with plenty of veterans, be looking to dump some experienced players in the next year or two? Perhaps one of those players could be franchise sack leader T.J. Watt.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly recently chatted about the prospect of the Steelers trading Watt after the Cleveland Browns shocked the NFL world by dealing franchise legend Myles Garrett. Kaboly noted how Watt could be a trade piece in the future, but is worth having on this year’s squad in Pittsburgh.
T.J. Watt Is Still Key For the Pittsburgh Steelers
GettyT.J. Watt’s 115 career sacks are a Steelers franchise record.
Here is what Kaboly had to say on Tuesday via social media about the idea of the Steelers trading Watt at some point down the road:
“I’m not going to sit here and pretend that the Browns didn’t get a pretty significant pull from the Rams for Myles Garrett, because they did…But the reason why I wouldn’t have done it this year is the Steelers have committed so much to win in 2026 that it makes no sense to move on at this particular point from Watt. Now, if you come to me next year with that deal, then I’m all ears. To me, Watt is still quite valuable to the 2026 version of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Kaboly makes a great point. The fact that the team was able to bring back or extend players like future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, All-Pro defensive tackle Cam Heyward, All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey, etc., signifies how committed it is to winning this year. The Browns weren’t. Why trade away your best defensive player, Watt, if you want to win now? Of course, if this season flops and Rodgers officially retires, then perhaps the start of a rebuild may make sense.
T.J. Watt Is Still Elite
GettyT.J. Watt recorded seven sacks for the Steelers in 14 games last season.
While he perhaps had a down year last season, Watt is still one of the best defensive players in all of football. He has led the league in sacks on three separate occasions, and they happened within a span of four years (2020-2023). If he had played a full year last season, perhaps the former Wisconsin Badger would’ve hit double-digit sacks for the seventh time in his nine-year career. As he enters his 10th NFL season and age-32 campaign, he will be all the more motivated to prove himself. After all, he is still searching for a Super Bowl ring.
The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is not alone in his quest. Heyward is also looking for his first Super Bowl ring, as is Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf. Plus, Rodgers hasn’t won a Super Bowl since February of 2011. This is a hungry team filled with great players looking to climb the mountain for the first time in a long, long time.
Steelers Insider Shares Thoughts on Possible T.J. Watt Trade