TJ Watt

Yeah Yeah Yeah and many said Cam was done two years ago. You don't know for sure.

 

Heyward isn't an edge rusher. They have completely different skill sets. Heyward can rely on power and experience to make up for any lost quickness or agility. That doesn't work as well for an edge rusher.

 

1. Steelers could recover the remaining prorated signing bonus. (just like the Lions did with Calving Johnson. to which they did and won)

2. The signing bonus money already paid still hits the cap. So the remaining prorated bonus on Watt’s deal would Accelerate into the cap all at once, unless the Steelers process the retirement after June 1, which would be
Year 1: Only 1 year of prorated bonus hits.
Year 2: The rest hits.

3. we owe no future money

4. if he un-retires, it would be just like a Gronk/Brady situations. where when he comes back, it starts again and we have the decision to play him, trade him, or renegotiate the contract.

IF he retires, than it would be roughly 25 million cap hit for 2026. So we would get 15 million in cap savings (because he was to have a 42 million cap hit)

If he retires post June first, Then we take on a 13 million cap hit for 2026 and 2027, but with his contract of 42 million in each. then it is about 29 million in cap savings each year.

If we do the clawback (asking for the prorated bonus back), it will not help us in savings. but we could try asking the shield to help us, but that is not going to happen.

@Thor am I right or wrong?

 

Only other thing that could take place is he request a trade.

if a team wants him I think it will be like a von miller situation of a second and a third.
- Von was playing ok Denver, but not elite like he was.
- Von averaged 0.64 sacks before the trade.
- TJ averaged 0.46 sacks this season.
- Von 32 years old
- TJ will be 32 in October.
- Also Von contract was the most at the time of the trade and the rams decreased it.

 

I believe we'd eat that bonus dead cap, so the team acquiring him would actually be getting him at a somewhat reasoanble contract, but I could be wrong. The acquiring team would only be on the hook for what remains, not the giant bonus we gave him.

So, I think trading him will not be very difficult. The return may not be anything substantial though.

MAYBE Jerry Jones will overpay, give us a 1st or a 2nd for Watt, given he traded away his stud OLB and had very little pash rush or defense since.

Dallas makes a ton of sense.

 

There are AlWAYS stupid owners out there and the Watt name is BIG TIME. Some clueless owner will be wetting himself at the chance of praying TJ Watt away. I am not worried about trading him if we want to trade him. I just don't see Rooney wanting that. Watt would have to demand it and I think he'll come to his senses. A trade means he won't be playing for Tomlin on the other team either.

 

I agree with you..... but Von Miller proved this exact situation.

 

The contract was a dumb move by the FO. Not getting a 2nd starting WR was incompetence. Until the Steelers get a real QB, they should trade players like TJ Watt to secure additional 1st Rd picks increasing their chances of selecting one of the top 1st Rd QBs.

 

Much ado about nothing players say stuff like this often.

 

Well if he retires will be a "Bobby Bonilla Day" for years if in so they can come to an agreement to spread it out. The contract was a colossal mistake.

 

I love the passive/aggressive tone it gives...lol

 

No team is going to fork over a 1st for him. A 3rd yes and hopefully taking on some of his contract baggage which is massive.

 

your profile pick! Miss that experience!

 

I was against this contract and wanted to trade him. His production fell off last year and at his age the chances of him rebounding were slim.

Now we are stuck with him. If Dallas calls, make that trade.

 

Basically impossible to cut him: $94MM dead and -$52MM cap hit pre Jun 1. Not quite as bad but still impossible after Jun1: $74MM dead. -$32MM cap loss.

Terrible if they trade him pre Jun1. $30MM dead cap. But $12MM cap savings.

Just pretty bad if they trade him post Jun1: $10MM dead cap. $32MM cap savings.

Source: https://overthecap.com/player/t-j-watt/5614

I don't know the ramifications on cash spending. But TJ is scheduled to make $32MM in cash next year. So we'd have to spend at least that much more than we would normally intend to in UFA to get to the cash spending floor. Note that spending money on UFAs is generally the worst value for both cash and cap spending (although you can rig it so the first year cap hit is low).

Basically, TJ is going to be on the team next year unless we want to go full tank. And even if we try to go full tank, I think we're kind of handcuffed because IIRC this is the 3rd year in the 3 year average for the cash spend floor. And i think we were under in year 1 and right around the floor in year 2 (maybe right around the floor both years). So we can't drop the cash spend hard this year.

Technically, if we did want to tank the "best" year to do it would be the season after next year (the season that starts in 2027). That's the year when the cap floor gets a new 3 year average. So if you wanted to (and we won't because it's not how this team operates). We could tank (not spend money) in that first year. Bank a bunch of cap space for the 2028 season while being appreciably below the cash floor on a 3 year average. Draft a QB. Then, spend like drunken sailors in year 2 and year 3 of the cash average...or maybe just wait until year 3.

As stated above, I'd put this at pretty close to a 0% chance based on how the Steelers operate. But the 3 year cash floor could incentivize teams to do stuff like this IMO.

 

Why are we trading/retiring Watt again?

 

I was wondering the same thing. He's still an elite player.

 

This.


Like the rest of the Defense, T.J. Watt needs a new voice. Teryls time has come and gone. Dude should have been fired a long ass time ago. Not all results from him during this defenses height were as good as the numbers would suggest.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/21771/tj-watt

 

Let's start to find a new coach ....

 

Yeah I know. The example was I heard multiple people say Cam was done two years ago, they were sure, and He hasn't slowed yet.
I prefer the wait, and see approach to the, I know now for sure approach. Because I have seen more than I can remember of players have a down year, and bounce back the next.

 

7 sacks is elite ?

 

Are total sacks the only criteria? I don't think so and I seriously doubt most people would say that.
But I could be wrong. I'm only a fan after all.