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The experts are guessing the guaranteed money part of the contract is hanging things up.Comment
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They've had months to do this and the season starts in a few days. Every game is important. Time for both sides to quit farting around and get 'er done.Comment
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As much as I think that WWE Madden is a blowhard, he's right, why would the Steelers change what they do for an edge rusher, even the best one in the game right now? He isn't a QB, CB or LT and he shouldn't and doesn't carry the sway that 17 year veteran Ben Roethlisberger carries. It's getting down to the nitty gritty now. One side is going to have to give in.
Pappysigpic
The 2025 Pittsburgh Steeler draft
1.21 - Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon - Nick Emmanwori, S, S. Carolina
3.83 - Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa - DJ Giddens, RB, Kans St
3.123 - Will Howard, QB, OSU
4.156 - JJ Pegues, DT, Ole Miss
5.185 - Clay Webb, OG, Jack St
7.229 - Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DT, Georgia
"Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel BlountComment
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T.J. Watt could miss Steelers' opener vs. Bills amid contract dispute, per report
The star pass rusher did not participate in a single full-team practice at camp
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First, that's not an unreasonable ask. Bosa signed in 2020 with $102M in "guarantees" and $78M "fully guaranteed". If you're Watt (or Watt's agent), you would certainly want more than last year's best contract.
Second, trading him at his lowest value is bad asset management IMO. If trading him was something they were thinking of doing, it should have happened last year when he still had one really cheap year left + the fairly cheap 5th year option.
If we really wanted to play hardball, we'd let him play the 5th year option (~$10M), tag him the next year (~$15M), then tag him the year after that (~$15M+20%).
The numbers won't be exactly the same because the franchise tag value will move for next year, but that adds up to about $44M over 3 years. That's way better for us than trading him when he's trying to force himself out of town (I also thought we shouldn't have caved to ABs trade demands though).
The Steelers probably won't do this because they tend to value relationships with star players in their prime (and because it's a huge under-payment that would probably see Watt engineering a trade out of town). But they could.
And it's essentially what they did with Bell, so there is precedent...although (i) they offered Bell a lucrative contract he turned down (TJ would have to do the same and (ii) Bell was likely no longer in his prime and the player aging curve probably looks different for edge rushers than RBs.
I think they will do what they did with Bell. Offer a deal that neither party would really be happy with (too high cap hit / too little guaranteed money). And I think Watt will accept it on the eve of the season after (smartly) trying to get as much as possible out of the team (I think holdouts are very expensive under the new CBA).
I am still ~ 100% confident that this deal gets done.
And I'm happy that the Steelers aren't rolling over in the negotiations. The double tag option really sucks for Watt (because the whoever sets the tag numbers doesn't account for the fact that OLBs are the edge rushers for 3-4 teams). It seems like we're probablyLast edited by Northern_Blitz; 09-07-2021, 06:42 AM.Comment
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Turn down for Watt:
(don't know exactly what it means....kinda like Watt's status)Comment
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DK missed on this one after predicting Watt would start practicing with the team starting Monday.....some harsh words for Watt;
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