TJ Holdout?

I'm torn on this one.

On one hand the amount of money that the NFL makes is disgusting that they are in a position to pay players this kind of money. But I hate to see this much salary tied up in one player that isn't a QB.

On the other hand, this validates a belief that I've had that the Steelers FO is cheap in the sense that they think they are special and don't have to dole out the large amounts of guaranteed money that all the other teams do for marquee players. It sucks but that's the way the contract game is played, you are part of that system.

 

The 3 dozen members of the Pittsburgh local media can’t put their pom-poms down long enough to figure out whats going on. When something happens on this contract, ESPN or NFL network will report it first. The local guys will jump on later.

 

What happens if he doesn't get a new contract before the season? Then things will start to get interesting, will he play under his 5th year option, or will he sit out? The fans will turn on him real quick if he doesn't show up, he's not a franchise QB, it shouldn't take this long to get a new contract done.

 

If He sits out ....You Trade His A$$, and I burn my Watt Jersey.

 

Didn’t we already have. TJ Watt thread?

 

I don’t think it’ll come to that. He will sign and it’ll soon be forgotten

I don’t get why they have left it to the last hour however, meaning he basically missed all of the preseason. They had since last January to get this done.

If the unthinkable happens and he doesn’t sign he will either have to play or leave $10m on the table, and they can still tag him for another 2 years if they want.

 

Hopefully they get the contract done before Wednesday. It has been dragging on way to long. Rumors are the guaranteed money.

He is the best player on the Defensive side and top five I feel in the NFL on the defensive side.

If the contract doesn't get done and he he sits out what can you do. Eventually he will suit up and play for the 5th year tender. And kick @ss!

Won't be the 1st time an NFL player has done it.

The shame is he has excelled every year he has been here and is a force that offensive coordinators need to game plan for.

 

It's the agent that negotiates the contract and its in their best interest to get the best deal because that's how they get paid and show perspective clients they have their backs.

I feel that's what is holding up the contract, the guaranteed money.

 

If he sits out he doesn’t get paid and he will still owe us a year.

 

Happens to many of us

 

Plenty of bad teams willing to overpay for star players to generate the ticket sales that wins do not. I'm not saying he isn't worth being one of the highest paid defensive players in the league, but he isn't' worth significantly weakening other positions.

 

You know I'm beginning to view these posts about not paying Watt top dollar because it is too much for the position or hurting the teams ability to field a competitive team the same way I view people complaining on game day about Tomlin's use of time outs. Just saying WTF.

 

I don’t know that the money part bothers me too much. It’s mainly the fact that the guy is under contract and by all accounts both sides seem to be close yet he isn’t practicing. I just would love to see these guys band together for a common goal.

Fans pour their hearts and pocket books into their favorite teams. These guys are making more in one game than some fans make in their lives. It just comes off as greedy and selfish.

 

i agree glenn. my worry is these guys have a shelf life too. not many keep up this height of play for a long time. he's 5 years in now but if he gets a 5 year deal paying him tons and the decline starts, we are pretty much stuck. i don't mean a decline all at once but over a few years of not getting our monies worth down the road when big pays come. his brother was a good example.

 

The agent negotiates, but TJ is the boss. Is it too hard for a player who doesn’t like the way negotiations are going to tell his agent “You’re fired”? Surely he can find somebody willing to take 10% of his deal, who’s also willing to take orders from him.

That’s why I firmly believe TJ is 100% ok with the negotiations so far. He’s not being taken for a ride. If he is he’s a dope.

 

Steelers better pony up or i see TJ holding out. Trade for some unknown draft picks is not what i want to see.

 

I chalk all this up to things way way way outside my control. I could have an opinion but beyond discussion here what you going to do?

 

Not much you can do. It’s just unfortunate.

 

I do remember when a certain sack master tried this with Bill Belichick ....he traded his ass .....won 3 more SBs, and that guy has been rotting in Arizona. Yeah he got his money , and gets sacks, but 2 what end.

 

I don’t feel quite that strongly about it, but I’m definitely disappointed in the situation.

 

He made a ton of cake and lives in a place with better weather, less crime, lower taxes than Boston. It's not about winning for everyone.

 

Re: TJ, you have to wonder if he's even going to be active week 1, new contract or not. If he plays he should be on a controlled snap count.

 

I personally don't care if the Steelers sign him, trade him or just let's him walk. Since I've been a kid, the Steelers developed Lloyd, Gildon, Porter, Chad Brown, Jerry O, Mike Vrable, James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, Bud Dupree, and TJ Watt. Edge rushers grow on trees in the Steelers system. The next one doesn't have to be as talented as Watt to produce the numbers Watt gets. The biggest key for the Steelers been a solid front 3 that eats the blocks so the Edge rushers get the sacks. Really, the Steelers can get close to the Watt's production at 1/3 the cap costs. If they resign him, great; if they don't: I'm not losing sleep over it.