The Steelers have been working on a T.J. Watt extension this offseason, and both sides are hoping to get a deal done by training camp, according to ESPN’s Peter Schrager.
“I know both sides are really motivated to get something done here,” said Schrager during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “They don’t want to go into training camp and have this thing drag on.”
Players are set to report to Pittsburgh’s training camp on July 23, giving the Steelers a month to reach an agreement with Watt. If the two sides cannot come to terms, Watt could stage a hold-in by refusing to participate in practices until he gets an extension. He already skipped OTAs and mandatory minicamp, incurring more than $100k in fines for the latter.
Both sides will be closely monitoring other edge rusher negotiations around the league. Micah Parsons is expected to become the highest-paid defender in the NFL, while Trey Hendrickson has resumed extension talks with the Bengals. Watt is unlikely to surpass Parsons’ deal, but his age and recent production are similar to Hendrickson’s. As a result, the Steelers may want to their top edge rusher signed before the Bengals do the same.
Schrager believes that will be the case, but noted that players like Myles Garrett have financially benefitted by waiting for their positional market to develop. If Watt is looking to squeeze every dollar out of what could be his last multi-year extension, he may draw out his negotiations with the Steelers to ensure that he beats Hendrickson’s price tag.