The contract stalemate between superstar T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers continues to garner national attention, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeting Tuesday that “multiple teams have been discussing whether they can trade” for the All-Pro EDGE defender.
Pittsburgh has no interest in trading the face of their franchise, of course, and this story will likely end with Watt signing an extension in the neighborhood of Myles Garrett’s $160 million whopper from earlier this spring. But if the Steelers really take a hard line at the negotiating table with Watt, who’s entering his age-30 season, there’s at least a small chance that the team listens to trade offers without immediately laughing and hanging up the phone.
Jacob Camenker of USA TODAY believes Pittsburgh would prefer sending Watt to the NFC if things ever escalated to that point. He predicted the reigning Super Bowl champion — and nearby — Philadelphia Eagles as Watt’s top landing spot.
“Could Watt stay in Pennsylvania even if he and the Steelers can’t reach an agreement?” he wrote. “Howie Roseman has never been afraid to make aggressive trades, has $30.8 million in cap space available and could use another playmaker on the edge. The Eagles lost several edge rushers during the offseason, as Josh Sweat signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, Bryce Huff was traded to the San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Graham retired. Philadelphia still has some young talent at the position in Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt, but adding a proven veteran like Watt would help keep its Super Bowl window open.”
The Eagles should top every list in hypothetical discussions like this. They have over $30 million in 2025 salary cap space, and the added luxury of 13 projected selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Philly also has a need for EDGE help behind the ascending Nolan Smith Jr. and second-year pro Jalyx Hunt. Adding Watt to Vic Fangio’s defense would send Philly’s Super Bowl repeat odds to the moon.
The problem here is the pending contract. Trading premium draft capital for Watt means you’re signing up for what’s going to be a massive contract extension. Howie Roseman and company could easily make that happen, but it could come at the expense of other key defensive players, most notably safety Reed Blankenship and defensive lineman Jalen Carter, down the line.
The bulk of Philadelphia’s financial commitments are currently on offense. Roseman’s insane hit rate on defensive players in the draft has allowed the team to take advantage of team-friendly rookie contracts on that side of the ball. Those guys will soon be looking to get paid — Carter becomes extension eligible in the spring of 2026 — and the Eagles will need to have the financial flexibility in future years to get those deals done.
Adding Watt on a mega contract this year would throw a wrench in those plans. The 2025 league year has been about saving money long-term. It’s been about extending key players early — Saquon Barkley, Lane Johnson and Cam Jurgens, for example — and staying disciplined in free agency with nothing but cheap, low-key, one-year deals.
It would be shocking if Philly altered course for the 30-year-old Watt, even with how transformative the player is. The Watt rumors will likely be just that until he ultimately signs his extension with the Steelers, but until that happens, the Eagles will (and should) be included on every list like the one USA TODAY put out.
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