The Steelers’ offseason vibe shifted at OTAs when their emotional cornerstone, T.J. Watt, didn’t show up. He skipped both voluntary workouts and, come mandatory minicamp, was still a no-call—clearly holding out for a new deal. His absence sent a clear signal: this isn’t just a case of foot-dragging. The Steelers LB is in the final year of his contract, and he’s yearning for an extension. But for the time being, the deal seems far away.

“It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of momentum to get his done before training camp. Never say never, but I think this is gonna drag on for quite some time,” Ray Fittipaldo made it clear. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh didn’t shy away from splash moves—landing DK Metcalf from Seattle on a massive five-year, $150 million deal. Metcalf’s deal comes with $60 million guaranteed, making him one of the highest-paid receivers ever.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Metclaf is a top-tier receiver, no doubt. And he’s surely going to lead the Steelers’ receiving corps. But that kind of payday for a newcomer before a long-serving legend like Watt gets his extension? Yeah, it adds a twist to the story. And that’s the major issue with the organization, as per Mark Schlereth’s point of view.

Schlereth’s take? Well, the NFL legend believes that Watt will get an extension, sure. But dragging a deal of a homegrown veteran like Watt isn’t sending a good message inside the Steelers’ locker room from Mike Tomlin and Co. “He’ll (TJ Watt) get signed,” he explained on his podcast. “The thing you always worried about is to what cost as an organization. I’m not talking about money.”

“I’m talking about, hey, when you don’t take care of the homegrown guys that have done it the right way, and all of a sudden you’ll give DK Metcalf, who hasn’t spent two seconds in your facility $150 million. That will irritate and piss off guys that have been there long term.” TJ Watt has been with the Steelers for nearly a decade now and has been the cornerstone of the front seven ever since his debut.

Sacks became official stats back in 1982. And Watt was the first player to lead the NFL in sacks three times. And his combined sacks in the last couple of seasons are one of the best, only behind Trey Hendrickson. On the other hand, we have Metcalf. Again, a top-tier wideout and will definitely connect with Aaron Rodgers. There’s definitely no denying that.

But still, giving him that kind of payday even though you’ve got Watt waiting for a well-deserving contract extension? That could irk him. He skipped the OTAs, and he was also absent from the mandatory mini-camp. And that’s what Schlereth found a bit off. And he wasn’t just referring to Watt. It’s for all those players who are sticking with the team for years.

“TJ Watt, who has bled, who has sweat, who has played through injury and everything else, and had all kinds of accumulation of numbers and sacks and everything else, we’re going to take a dump on that guy,” Schlereth added. “Like, that doesn’t sit well inside a locker room in the NFL. Those are the things that I am more worried about than, hey, is the production going to go down a little bit, you know, over the next two years?”

While some believe the Steelers are pleased with Watt’s contract talks, others report that it’s going to be a long game. However, amidst this, we can expect the veteran LB to be seeking a massive deal entering the final year of his contract.

How much is TJ Watt’s contract going to be worth?

The last time TJ Watt was eyeing a contract extension, he took a different approach rather than skipping the mandatory minicamp. The LB was present at the minicamp, but he wasn’t actually there. Yes, the 30-year-old linebacker participated in the minicamp but refrained from the team drills, instead focusing solely on individual and sideline work, clearly avoiding contact as contract talks continued.

Fast forward to now, and this year feels different. Sure, he’s been looking for a massive deal again, but this time, Watt decided to skip the mandatory minicamp. Now that the Steelers have already solved the biggest issue of their offseason—signing Aaron Rodgers on a one-year deal. All eyes are on T.J. Watt’s contract and how much he’ll get this offseason.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that there is an “expectation they will come to some agreement… before the start of the regular season.” That means we’re just a few months away from Watt’s new contract. But will it be as straightforward as it sounds? Absolutely not. In fact, Dulac further added that there might be “some resistance and not-so-minor stumbling blocks along the way” to a contract.

And if the reports are accurate, the Steelers won’t negotiate a contract extension before the start of the regular season. That means no contract deal until late August or early September for Watt—at least, that’s what the reports suggest. Now’s the big question: how much will the Steelers offer TJ Watt? Well, as per PFT, “Watt’s new deal is expected to top the four-year, $160 million extension the Browns gave to edge rusher Myles Garrett.”

So, at the end of the day, Watt’s contract debate is going to continue for some time. But one thing’s clear: Mike Tomlin and Co. are going to sign Watt. When? That’s the mystery.