Front office members around the league still have plenty of respect for the Steelers’ outside linebacker.
As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler continues to compile top-10 lists of each NFL position group as voted on by league executives, coaches, and scouts, Steelers’ outside linebacker T.J. Watt has earned some high praise.
In a July 9 article, Watt was named the second-best edge rusher in the NFL by league front office members — the same spot as last year. His highest ranking was No. 1 and his lowest No. 3 on the ballots submitted.
The only pass rusher ranked higher than Watt was the Browns’ Myles Garrett, who logged 14 sacks in 2024 to Watt’s 11.5. The Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, landed at No. 6.
Watt is a worthy rival to Garrett in the AFC North. His 108 career sacks rank third all time for a player’s first eight seasons, behind Reggie White (124) and DeMarcus Ware (111). He’s a near-lock for an All-Pro team every year. And he leads the NFL in forced fumbles (10) over the past two seasons, along with being second in sacks (30.5) and quarterback hits (63).
But he’s stuck in the No. 2 spot for the second consecutive year while Garrett separates.
“He’s still the gold standard for me,” a veteran AFC defensive coach said. “He completely wrecks a game and he can do everything.”
Watt’s play lacked splash late in the season, with seven total tackles and zero sacks over his final four games including playoffs. His pass rush win rate dipped from the low-20s to 18.5%.
“I thought he wore down a little bit,” an NFL coordinator said about Watt’s late-season clip. “But their whole defense did. I think they just got tired, and the struggles on offense could have played a role.”
As Fowler notes, Watt’s production dipped below his usually elite standards in 2024, but he still finished the season as one of the top defenders in the NFL. While he tied for eighth place in sacks, he finished second to Garrett in tackles for loss with 19. He was also first in forced fumbles. Watt played through an ankle injury late in the season.
Watt’s teammate Alex Highsmith did not receive any votes for the list.
Soon to be 31, Watt is on the last year of his current contract; he held out of the Steelers’ mandatory veteran minicamp in the spring as he looks for a new extension from the team.
Given Watt’s downtick in production in 2024, it’s a little surprising to see him retain his No. 2 spot in the rankings headed into the new season. But it appears the four-time All-Pro remains highly-regarded around the league.
Watt isn’t the first Steeler to make Fowler’s top-10 series. Cam Heyward was ranked as the 10th-best defensive tackle in the league; former Steeler Minkah Fitzpatrick was ranked ninth at safety; and both Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith were named honorable mentions at tight end. Center Zach Frazier, coming off a successful rookie season, wasn’t ranked, but still received votes as a top-10 interior offensive lineman.
The position rankings for offensive tackles, quarterbacks, off-ball linebackers, wide receivers, and cornerbacks have yet to be announced.