Who do we trade?

even someone like Warren to stay back and help Fauntenu block might’ve helped the offense.

 

Probably but our offense is not good and Rodgers is a year older. No thanks

 

The mistake would be trading Herbig. They might let him play it out and franchise him. He will be in line for a nice payday so maybe they wait.

As far as Watt goes unloading a nice portion of his contract is key. I don't see more then a 3rd for him a late round pick.

I wouldn't be against trying to move Highsmith which could possibly fetch a 2nd and a late round pick while he's very productive when he is not nicked up.

They still have a modern day warrior todays Jack Sawyer who played pretty solid for a rook.

I can see all 4 playing for the Steelers this season though.

 

You said we were beating the Ravens WITH Tomlin et all...so don't try and play that card, you said we were good enough to wi playoff games throughout that 3 year period, it was aother people who thought we weren't.

 

And ???
The point???

 

I totally agree with You on that. I don't like the idea of bringing him back as our starter

 

Agree that you have to make a move to keep Herbig.
You'll get value for Highsmith as the new team pays him $14.5M this year and $15.5M next year - reasonable for him.
Watt is pretty much a salary dump and there won't be much return. Steelers eat $30M and the new team is on the hook for $32M guaranteed each of the next two years and then $36.5M only if they keep him in '28, nothing if they don't.
As someone who went to the same school as 2/3 of Rush, I appreciate the Jack Sawyer line.

 

Everyone needs to slow the Trade Watt Train down. If the Steelers were to trade Watt in 2026 the Deadcap would be $94 million.
Watts Cap Hit in 2026 and 2027 is $42 million.


Watt is not going anywhere until 2028. His new contract he signed last year makes 2026 and 2027 fully guaranteed.

• $108M guaranteed at signing (signing bonus + 2025 salary + 2026 salary + 2027 salary)
• 2028 Roster Bonus: $15M (3rd league day of 2028)

I don't how much of Watts remaining $94 million guarantee you could get a team to take on.

 

If someone trades for him, they're on the hook for the guaranteed salaries and that roster bonus. Steelers would have to keep the remainder of the signing bonus on their books ($30MM).

TL;DR: you can't cut him (for the reasons you've stated) but you can trade him.

 

That contract looks worse and worse. Thank the gummy worm owner for that.

Like Brice said he basically he is not going anywhere.

 

I agree.
I understand the Steelers desiring the intangibles of 'one helmet' guys, rewarding the good character+loyal guys with extensions but it sure did create a logjam at edge with watt, highsmith, herbig, sawyer that's going to cost us a good young player going to another team. It's a shame. It was avoidable.

 

You trade for return. What is your goal that you are trying to procure? Then, what trades get you that? Just throwing out bad contracts you want to get rid of, while worth discussing the bad contracts, is not a plan due to no other team wants that bad contract either.


I want a promising, young, high ceiling QB to work with McCarthy and Arth. What would I trade for such a player? Pretty much WHATEVER they ask for. That's the only trades I'm looking to make this offseason.

 

I can only think of a team close to the SB who just needs a bit extra push on defense,

Rams, Bills? Pats maybe?

its interesting to wonder what Dan Rooney would've done with Watt, i don't think wed be in this situation now

 

But we don't really know what type of situation we are in with him just yet. Why all the panic?

I want to see him come into this season healthy and we will see if he has lost as much as some are assuming. In my opinion, Watt looked like he was fighting an injury for most of last season. He looked like he was limited with what he could do with his upper body. Like he had a pectoral or shoulder injury that didn't allow him to be as physical. I know there was nothing in the injury reports, but he was getting those needling procedures for something that was bothering him.

If Watt can come back and is 95% of what he was at his best, he is still one of the best players on the planet. I still think he has something in the tank and can be an effective player for several more years. I don't know that he has any 22.5 sack seasons in him, but this nonsense that he is done when teams are still chipping him at the highest clip of any edge defender tells you that he is still the player that teams need to scheme against and game plan for to try to stop him from wrecking the offense.

I think Watt's demise has been greatly exaggerated, and in a few years his contract is not going to look like the behemoth it seems to be right now. Everyone is going to be signing players to huge contracts that are above what Watt is getting paid.

This team has a lot of cap space, and a ton of draft picks. It's great to see them in a position to make bold moves not out of desperation but because they have the money and the resources.

 

Agreed.
As for player with higher contracts, Look no farther than the Packers giving up multiple 1st round draft picks, and a pro bowl DT for Parsons, and paid him 188 million, with 136 million guaranteed. They did all that to lose in the 1st round of the playoffs like we did, and didn't even have Parsons after the beginning of December.

 

he's 32, the track record for edges over 30 is not good. His decline is following the trend for edges over 30. Have to take that into account. He’s looked so much slower and less quick than he used to be. Could be due in part to injury but that's part of age. Im not expecting much from him going forward. The young guys like Herbig and Sawyer should be getting more of the playing time

 

Hopefully they keep Herbig this season and then can franchise him next season and work out a deal. Trading him would be a big mistake.

I would be highly surprised if they trade Watt. Rooney II pushed for that deal which unfortunately needed to be higher then what Garrett got. He also pushed the One Helmet Guy narrative.

Issue is his play is dropping off the last 2 seasons being off injured (notwithstanding getting the needle into his lung) also balks about moving around.

I'm looking forward to Patrick Grahams defensive structure and schematics.

 

It is true that all of that is possible and he isn't the best defensive player in the NFL at this point.

In my opinion, it hasn't been confirmed that father time is the issue yet. Remember, he is still the guy other teams are trying to take away be using multiple blockers to stop him. If he has lost a step and offenses start giving him single block opportunities, he will start producing under situations that all the other players are operating under. People seem to be saying that if Watt can't take on a left tackle, a tight end, and a chip from a running back, that his career is over and he's worthless. That's silly.

Let's see how this progresses, and let's see what type of defensive scheme Graham is going to go with and how he plans on using Watt. If Watt buys into what Graham is doing, I think he will be willing to move around and create opportunities for himself if Graham chooses to do so.

Watt played his entire career under Tomlin. Players get set in their ways, sometimes more so with the Steelers because there is so little turnover with the head coach and the philosophy. I think it's going to be fascinating to watch it all unfold. There may be some growing pains on the defensive side of the ball, but at some point during the season, we should start seeing what they are capable of as the players embrace their roles and are playing faster and with more confidence in what they are doing.

I can't wait.