The Steelers exercise Watt's 5th year option

There is a difference though when the NFL designates the franchise tag pay for OLB and DE.

 

Yeah becuase the nfl doesn't have a designation for specific potions under a specific scheme. That's like if a guy is a slot receiver and gets franchised tag he will get paid outside wr money but that doesn't mean his play on the field is about that. Aaron donald is a DT they next to never get paid but he got the most money in history for a defensive player at the time because of his impact. That matters alot into what a guy gets too. But the reason DE gets more than a traditional OLB is because a traditional outside LB doesn't rush the passer like A DE. Watt would be a DE in the 4-3 so yeah the franchise tag doesn't designate him that way but that's what he'd be. Just like mack is a 3-4 olb but a 4-3 DE.

 

TJ needs to get his sack count up higher to be talking a 100 mill contract, chandler jones and shaq barrett led the nfl in sacks at 19 apiece in 2019, jones is on a 5 year contract at 83 mill 51 mill guaranteed and had a 31 mill signing bonus, so TJ is sniffing at a high sack count but he isnt close to the big sack leaders yet, he needs to have a signature season in 2020 or at least in 2021 if he wants a big time 100 mill contract.....

 

People are missing the biggest aspect of 2021; salary cap increase. 2021 could potentially be $240 Million; up from what we have at $200 Million currently. Given the fact, it is safe to assume that T.J. Watt will command more than just merely $20 Million a year.


More than likely, T.J. Watt is set to reset the market in a big way.

 

That’s by no means certain now though, given the huge impact Covid19 could have on revenue. The cap is set by the league revenue the previous year. If teams have greatly reduced local revenue from games the cap will not be increasing. Commercial revenue could also be down if advertisers and sponsors pull back.

The $240m figure was a pre Covid19 estimate. I would not be banking on it in order to get extensions done with guys.

 

I would say it is. The market determines what the going rate is. The value is dependent on the position. The value of a pass rusher will always be the highest rated for Defensive Players. As such, the natural inclination is that the next star pass rusher reset the market all over or match its value.


Of the options, T.J. is likely going to do the former. As much as I would not like it, Pittsburgh places a premium on the position. Besides, Alex Highsmith is essentially a fail safe should Bud opt elsewhere. Plenty of finances for T.J.'s agent to use for his client.

 

I understand how the market works and I don’t doubt TJ’s value at all, what I meant was that the cap increase to $240m was an estimate based on continuing revenue growth for the league. That’s a huge question mark now. Teams that are planning their roster moves around a huge cap increase in 2021 may be disappointed.

 

An OLB doesn't rush the QB...Since when?

 

https://steelersdepot.com/2020/04/2021-fifth-year-option-amount-for-t-j-watt-is-10-089-million/

 

A tradtional 4-3 one doesn't unless a blitz is called because you have 4 down lineman A 3-4 olb does. They are entirely different positions.

 

It's funny being on twitter reading Cowboys fans complaining because in 2017 they drafted Taco Charlton over Watt .

 

He and Lawrence would make quite the pair there.

Not much point in going over bad draft decisions but one that i do sometimes think back to is taking Dobbs in 2017 when Kittle went a few picks later. A lot of people had him mocked to the Steelers around there at the time and they needed a TE.

 

I agree, but the future increase was the owners betting on wrapping up new negotiations with the networks. It was rumored Disney was willing to go all in trying to get the rights for at least a Night Time package for Monday and Thursday, moving the prime game back to ABC and Thursday to ESPN They also dabbled a carrot with the Sunday night game. Last I heard Disney was losing 30 million a day. Also companies themselves who advertise are in great financial stress. Have no idea how this may affect future Cap or negotiations, but short term it really is going to affect every pro league.

 

Didnt they extend Cam Heyward and David Decastro before their fifth seasons? They exercised the fifth year options but they had the deals done before the respective seasons began if I recall correctly.

They should definitely extend TJ next off season. The guy is outperforming his salary year after year so he has earned it. Get it done early before the Browns extend Garrett and reset the market if possible.