T.J. Watt, Steelers agree on big thing amid contract saga

While reports from Monday night made it known that the Pittsburgh Steelers and safety DeShon Elliott had agreed to a two-year contract extension, that was no indication as of Tuesday that the Steelers were all that close to working things out with unsettled pass-rusher T.J. Watt. 

During a Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” NFL insider Peter Schrager suggested that the Steelers could give Watt millions of reasons to report to training camp on time later this summer. 

“I know both sides are really motivated to get something done here,” Schrager said, as shared by Josh Carney of Steelers Depot. “They don’t wanna go into training camp and have this thing drag on. The [Aaron Rodgers] domino fell. DeShon Elliott is a nice player to have. But this was always gonna be, let’s get Rodgers in camp, and I think the T.J. Watt deal has to get done. Now, from what I’m told, both sides want it to get done. Obviously, T.J. Watt’s gonna want a certain amount of money. Question is, is it a game of chicken?”

Schrager was referring to the fact that Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons is also looking to sign a lucrative extension before he plays a down of meaningful football in September. Parsons is in the final year of his rookie contract and will be 26 years old through the entire 2025 campaign. Meanwhile, Watt is in the last year of the extension he signed ahead of the 2021 season and will turn 31 years old in October. 

According to Terrance Biggs of Pro Football Network, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported during Tuesday’s edition of the “Unsportsmanlike” program that he expects Parsons will ink a deal worth more than the four-year, $160M extension that Myles Garrett received from the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason. 

“It’s always interesting to see when you’re talking top of the market guys, who is gonna take that offer first? Who’s motivated to get it done first and who’s willing to wait it out?” Schrager added on Tuesday. 

Per Teresa Varley of the Steelers’ website, Pittsburgh players are due to report to training camp on July 23. It sounds like Watt could be an active participant when the Steelers hold their first practice open to the public on July 24.