The Pittsburgh Steelers just rocked the NFL with a blockbuster player-for-player trade, and now, an even bigger one might be brewing.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “multiple teams have been discussing whether they can trade for Steelers standout T.J. Watt.” This comes in the wake of Watt skipping the team’s mandatory minicamp in June as he seeks a new contract.
Should the New York Jets get involved?
Watt, 30, is entering the final year of his four-year, $112 million contract. He is likely seeking to surpass (or at least come close to) the deal signed this offseason by Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, who set a new record for defensive players with his four-year, $160 million pact ($123.6 million guaranteed).
In four of the past six seasons (2019-21, 2023), Watt was named a first-team All-Pro and finished top-three in Defensive Player of the Year voting. This past season, he dropped to second-team All-Pro and fourth in DPOY voting, but he still picked up 11.5 sacks, 27 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for loss, four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and a league-leading six forced fumbles.
It is indisputable that Watt is still a superstar. However, with his 31st birthday coming up in October, it is fair to wonder whether his long-term outlook is reliable enough to warrant giving him a likely record-setting contract and coughing up a gargantuan trade package.
In 2024, Watt collected just 53 total pressures, which ranked 23rd among edge rushers. It was a massive decline from the 86 pressures he accumulated in 2023 (on fewer pass-rush opportunities), which ranked seventh at the position.
Watt created pressure on just 9.2% of his pass-rush snaps in 2024. Not only was that a career-low, but it was below the NFL average for edge rushers.
The Jets are in a retooling stage. While they could use all of the talent they could get, they must maintain their long-term flexibility if they wish to build themselves up into a sustained contender. Shelling out an enormous contract and multiple premium draft picks for a soon-to-be 31-year-old Watt would be an unwise move for a team that is not one player away from a championship.
If there is a team out there that believes Watt can put them over the top as a Super Bowl threat in 2025, they should make an aggressive offer. The Jets are not that team.
It is imperative for Jets general manager Darren Mougey to stay the course and avoid falling for the temptation to pursue flashy moves like this one.