Watt's Up with T.J.?

[Buzz]

We were supposed to hear about a new contract following the Carolina game. Any news on it yet?

[NJ-STEELER]

I bet they wait until final cuts to see if they can add another body somewhere. It looks like they've done the same while adding ingram and Joe show.

I suspect the numbers are done, they just have to structure in a way that fits the cap both this year and the next few years

[Buzz]

Makes sense.

[papillon]

My question is, how long will it take for TJ to get into the groove of the season? It would suck if it takes 4 or 5 weeks because he hasn't had any contact, etc. I'm sure he's in football condition but contact is contact and there is no prepping for that without actually doing it.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

My question is, how long will it take for TJ to get into the groove of the season? It would suck if it takes 4 or 5 weeks because he hasn't had any contact, etc. I'm sure he's in football condition but contact is contact and there is no prepping for that without actually doing it.

Pappy

Have to watch out for the dreaded hammy injury too.

I’m surprised (not really) at the lack of frustration over Watt sitting out while still under contract.

[Northern_Blitz]

Didn't Troy sign a contract basically on a plan to game 1 in the past?

I hope it gets announced soon...but I think it's possible that it comes right down to the wire again.

[NorthCoast]

We were supposed to hear about a new contract following the Carolina game. Any news on it yet?

Dulac was wrong about Berry sticking. He also said no way MR would get the nod over Landry Jones. Now I'm questioning his status as an insider with any knowledge of the team.

[Steel Maniac]

TJ isn’t in “football shape” and the only way to get there is to play. I too am worried about him coming in and trying to do too much too soon and causing injury to himself at this point.

Management knew the numbers they were going to have to give him and yet they let this drag out as long as it has.

He’s not ready for week one at this point. And to have any type of chance against Buffalo, you need a pass rush that’s going to hit Allen and protect our secondary.

[Dwinsgames]

honestly without being someones trainer I am not sure how anyone can determine whether another person they do not even have eyes on is or is not in football shape ... its an over blown term used by talking heads just like football in shorts 40 time numbers ( not everyone handles the weight of pads the same a 4.43 guy in shorts might be 4.5 in pads a 4.4 guy might be 4.4 in pads so who is faster ?? )

if you do not have eyes on a player and do not know what training he is under going please refrain from commenting on what kind of shape they are in ( unless its guy who is normally 200 pounds and looks 250 you truly have no clue )

[Steel Maniac]

honestly without being someones trainer I am not sure how anyone can determine whether another person they do not even have eyes on is or is not in football shape ... its an over blown term used by talking heads just like football in shorts 40 time numbers ( not everyone handles the weight of pads the same a 4.43 guy in shorts might be 4.5 in pads a 4.4 guy might be 4.4 in pads so who is faster ?? )

if you do not have eyes on a player and do not know what training he is under going please refrain from commenting on what kind of shape they are in ( unless its guy who is normally 200 pounds and looks 250 you truly have no clue )

You don’t get it. Football shape isn’t the same as just training shape. Anyone who’s watched the game as long as I have knows that. That’s common knowledge.

That’s why we’re concerned about him all of a sudden pulling a hamstring because that is the most common occurrence when you try to ramp up too fast.

["BuzzNuter"]

I don't think they have agreed on the money. It's either the total $ but it more than likely is the guaranteed $. I am slowly coming around to the 25M$ per amount. One thing I am sure off is the Steelers will not change the way they do business for anybody. His guaranteed $ will not be the most for his position and they will not give him 30M$ per year. The Steelers legacy and history is greater than any individual player. The Rooney's are in charge and if you think they are lowballing this guy or leaving him hanging , we are the Pittsburgh Steeler and that's how it is.
I mentioned in another thread maybe Watt doesn't want to be a Steeler. And when he does sign or comes back to play a final year, I'm afraid he will pull a hamstring or get a stinger in his shoulder or wherever they get them.

[Disco1981]

Seems like he's the type that relishes hard work, and a chance for a Championship... Probably has had enough of Tomlins Cupcake Factory...Knows he'll never win a Championship with that Fraud there!

[Northern_Blitz]

I don't think they have agreed on the money. It's either the total $ but it more than likely is the guaranteed $. I am slowly coming around to the 25M$ per amount. One thing I am sure off is the Steelers will not change the way they do business for anybody. His guaranteed $ will not be the most for his position and they will not give him 30M$ per year. The Steelers legacy and history is greater than any individual player. The Rooney's are in charge and if you think they are lowballing this guy or leaving him hanging , we are the Pittsburgh Steeler and that's how it is.
I mentioned in another thread maybe Watt doesn't want to be a Steeler. And when he does sign or comes back to play a final year, I'm afraid he will pull a hamstring or get a stinger in his shoulder or wherever they get them.

Didn't they say he'd be the highest paid defensive player? Or was that just someone from local media saying they said that.

I think Bosa is currently the highest at $27M AAV

[Northern_Blitz]

Seems like he's the type that relishes hard work, and a chance for a Championship... Probably has had enough of Tomlins Cupcake Factory...Knows he'll never win a Championship with that Fraud there!

His choices are probably something like
(1) sign a long term deal to be the highest paid defensive player on the league.
(2) play under the 5th year option and 2x tags (LB tags so they are probably much less than the contract aav in (1); or
(3) pull a Bell / AB and sit out a year or melt down publicly so he's so toxic the team has to dump him

I'm assuming that he's not an idiot and will choose (1).

[Dwinsgames]

You don’t get it. Football shape isn’t the same as just training shape. Anyone who’s watched the game as long as I have knows that. That’s common knowledge.

That’s why we’re concerned about him all of a sudden pulling a hamstring because that is the most common occurrence when you try to ramp up too fast.

again you have ZERO clue on what his training has been like or how intensive its been you are only assuming he has been slacking ...

dont give me this bull**** about if you have been watching football as long as me **** , hell I have probably been watching longer than you have been alive but I would never use that as a baseline of knowledge , age might be good for life experience but its not a tool to base on specific types knowledge ...

again "football shape" is an over blown term as if its some space age conditioning ... TJ has been playing this game since he was a very young child , the team trainers have been around this game for a very long time , they know their Job , they know their goals , they know what the hell they are doing and how to achieve these things .... you make it sound like he is sitting on a lounge chair in the Bahamas sipping on cocktails but the fact is he is working with football professionals each and every day on conditioning , position drills etc he is just doing these things off to the side alone where other bodies can not trip him up and cause /create injuries .... he isnt sitting their watching eating cupcakes all day...

we have seen this before with Hines Ward , Troy , most recently Cam Heyward they all came ready to play and play well ... do not make more of it then what it is