The T.J. Watt contract dilemma may be far from over — and as trade rumors continue to pile on, one insider has given his two cents on the situation.
On Thursday’s episode of The Rich Eisen Show, a guest appearance by insider Tom Pelissero presented fans with an interesting take on what the Steelers star defender could demand on the trade market:
“What can you get, at this point, for T.J. Watt?” Pelissero said. “For one thing, a 2026 draft pick doesn’t help you. But even if you were getting a 2026 draft pick, is somebody giving up a first-round pick and more for T.J. Watt? Again, never say never, Rich, but when the Bengals were — at Trey Hendrickson’s request — shopping Trey Hendrickson earlier this offseason, they were asking for a first-round pick. They weren’t being offered a first-round pick for a guy who led the league in sacks last year and has like 35 sacks over the past two seasons. …
“Could the Steelers even get a first-round pick? If you’re offered a second or something — and again, is a 2026 second, it doesn’t help you when you’re all in on 2025 — would it even make sense to consider it?”
What’s the latest in the TJ Watt v. #HereWeGo contract showdown?#NFLpic.twitter.com/O0sOLbMvBg
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) July 3, 2025
The Steelers have reportedly remained adamant about getting a deal done with Watt — but Adam Schefter has reported outside trade interest is expected to rise after the arrivals of big-contract players like Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith.
Will the Steelers extend their star player and silence the trade rumors once and for all? Or will Watt’s potential demand to become the highest-paid defender in the league push the two sides past a point of no return?
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers unlikely to receive first-rounder for T.J. Watt, per insider