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TJ Watt trade rumors: Adam Schefter reveals how Jalen Ramsey deal impacts NFL-wide interest

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra06/30/25SamraSource
T.J. Watt
Joe Sargent / Stringer via Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a major move on Monday, shipping Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. That has many around the NFL wondering whether T.J. Watt will remain with the team moving forward.

Watt’s been unhappy with his contractual situation this summer, skipping the team’s mandatory minicamp to show his frustration. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that multiple teams have been hoping to trade for the Steelers star defender, the team isn’t exactly showing any signs of moving him, but outside team interest is likely to increase after the Ramsey deal.

“Sources: In recent weeks, multiple teams have been discussing whether they can trade for Steelers’ standout T.J. Watt, who skipped the team’s most recent minicamp,” Schefter posted on X. “Pittsburgh hasn’t shown any willingness to deal Watt so far, but he’s unhappy with his contractual situation and sources believe outside team interest is likely to increase given today’s trade.”

If Pittsburgh wants to keep Watt, the baseline seems to be the contract Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett signed — a four-year deal totaling $40 million per year. It made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

For the Steelers, Watt seems to be worth every penny. He’s led the NFL in sacks in three of the past five seasons. In eight seasons, Watt has tallied 108 sacks — fourth all-time among active players. He’s a four-time First-Team All-Pro selection and the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year.

Watt, 30, is entering the final year of his four-year, $112 million deal he signed in 2021. Now is the time to lock him up longterm, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the team is optimistic they’ll be able to, but nothing is guaranteed until pen is put to paper.

“The Steelers, I’m sensing, are optimistic that they can reach a deal with Watt eventually,” Fowler said on Sunday morning. “My sense is that he will probably be the highest-paid pass rusher in the league. When this is all said and done, he wants to be a Steeler for life. The Steelers want that. He’s a legacy type player.”

“They believe at 30 years old, he still has several good years left. They’re just going to have to come up with a number and a good guarantee structure. He did miss minicamp, so Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do. But typically, Pittsburgh perks up in these things around training camp and late July.”

Time will tell what’s next for T.J. Watt, and if he continues his career with the Steelers. It’d be shocking to see the team trade him out of Pittsburgh, but if we’ve learned anything about the NFL, it’s don’t rule anything out.