Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt sent fans into a panic on Wednesday with a simple message posted to his Instagram social media account. Watt just posted a picture of him making the peace sign in a Steelers jersey and that was enough to make some people nervous.
Some thought this was a sign that Watt may want a trade from Pittsburgh, especially considering he’s headed into the final year of his contract and has a cap hit of just $30.4 million, nowhere near where the highest-paid players at his position are raking in ($40M per season).
Recently, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly tried to make sense of Watt’s latest social media activity, and he thinks it’s a situation worth watching.
“After talking to people, I’d keep an eye on this Steelers T.J. Watt contract situation moving forward a little more closely. It doesn’t appear that the IG picture (below) he posted yesterday was just by chance. I’d imagine an extension is still going to eventually get done, but the price tag just might be a tad bit higher than some anticipated.”
Kaboly on T.J. Watt
You know how the NFL works. Unless or until a contract resolution is reached, Watt trade rumors will continue to circulate. But which trade destinations make the most sense for Watt?
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Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have suffered several key losses to their defense over the past couple of offseasons, from Christian Wilkins to Jevon Holland. Now it’s time to add an impact player again, much like they did when acquiring Jalen Ramsey. There’s no better target than a former Defensive Player of the Year who’s still in his prime.
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Atlanta Falcons
After finishing with the second-fewest sacks in the NFL, there’s no debating where the Atlanta Falcons’ biggest weakness lies. They could keep trying to solve this need through the NFL Draft, but why not get the proven talent in Watt?
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New England Patriots
Would Watt want to join a franchise that hasn’t proven it can win yet? Perhaps getting a strong defensive leader like Mike Vrabel as the head coach can help recruit elite talents like Watt to New England. It’s already worked in free agency, so perhaps they can throw a big bag at Watt too.
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Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are widely expected to upgrade their pass-rush in the 2025 NFL Draft, but this is a team that’s ready to make waves right now. Plus, with the Lions losing several coaches and the Vikings getting a new quarterback, it could be the perfect time for Green Bay to get back on top. Watt would surely help.
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Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are eager to get another pass-rusher to help take pressure off Aidan Hutchinson as he returns from last year’s season-ending injury. Why not go all out and build the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL? Trading for Watt would re-establish the Lions as Super Bowl contenders.
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