TJ Watt

Blast, help me out. If a player 'retires', is the contract still counting against the cap?

 

I’m not “Blast” but here to help:

https://letmegptthatforyou.com/a/zHu6Y

 

Spotrac says dead cap is $94 million for 2026 and $52 million if 2027. A reasonable $10 million if after 2027 season.

We’re screwed if he retires.

the money has already been paid, so it has to be accounted for somehow.
they account for it by accelerating the remaining as has been said.

 

If Cam retires that may instigate T J

And vice versa

 

I expect Watt to be on the Steelers next season, what team wants that contract for a player that is on the downside of his career.

 

Seems like the team gets penalized for a player retiring

I also believe a player should forfeit/return a prorated portion

You made an agreement to
Play when you took the signing bonus

 

Dueces!

 

A team that is in contention and needs a pass rusher. That's who would show interest in him.

He plays a position that is a common target by good teams looking to get over the top by adding a pass rusher.

I have no idea if he will retire, stay, or request a trade, but he will still have value.

 

That contract was a huge mistake.

 

Not for $41 million a year they won't get good value back.

 

He was visibly upset when Tomlin told the players according to the story that also revealed the Rodgers broke down in tears. I can understand what they feel, I've felt that way when Cowher called it a career as well as several players like Miller, Ward, Troy and Kiesel.

 

I don't think if Dan was around that deal would even have gotten done.

 

Watt wont retire. Im hoping we trade him for some draft capital.

 

If we wanted value out of TJ we could tr

Nah, nah. TJ signed a contract with guarantees in it. Team did not need to agree to those guarantees. TJ said during negotiations he did not want to play for any other coach…
I could see him fully justifying in his mind retirement.

Teams cut player all the time despite contract length who dont have guarantees. The original contract length is not honored. They don’t honor anything beyond “guarantees.” Conversely, as currently structured, the team knows full well what happens with guaranteed money if a player retires. That is a door that swings both ways. THEY SIGNED THE DEAL. Watt can do what he wants with no qualms.

If I’m the Steelers I refer to him as Mr. Watt (Not TJ). “Sir would you like to sit in on coach interviews as we value your input”.

 

I dont know. I think he lost something big time. Old man Cam looks closer to his peak than TJ. I wonder if TJ feels his best days are behind him. If so, he might well hang it up and collect that hit.

 

I think a lot of people are worried for nothing.
I still remember a few people that predicted the demise of Cam Heyward not last year, but two years ago, and swore up , and down he was finished. LoL
I hate to tell people this, and people that have watched lots of football can back this up.
Players have down years, and in his down year he had.... 7 sacks, 2ints, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries, 8 PD, and over 12 tackles for a loss.
Wow he's done. LoL

 

And he was chipped or doubled more times than any player in the NFL, missed 3 games, and may have had a nagging injury later in the season because it didn't look like he was able to use his upper body as explosively. All that and he played after having the botched medical procedure that punctured his lung, required surgery, and then he was out there giving it everything in pain and not having his usual endurance because of that injury.

Yeah.....he's a bum.

 

Exactly.

 

No one is trading for that horrid contract and he's not walking away from it either. One of the highest priorities of the new HC/DC, after solving the QB problem, is to maximize whatever is left of TJ.

 

His play also cratered late in the 2024 season. I keep repeating this and some folks here just want to ignore it. Edge rushers don't age well. He is still a good player, but the days of playing up to that sort of contract are well in the past.