Star Pass Rusher Back on Table for Detroit Lions
The moves made by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday have reignited trade speculation surrounding elite edge rusher T.J. Watt.
The AFC North team kicked off the week by acquiring cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith in a pair of headline-grabbing trades.
Ramsey is getting a $1.5 million pay bump, meaning the Steelers are set to pay the All-Pro defensive back $26.6 million this season.
Smith, meanwhile, landed a one-year contract extension worth $12 million to bolster the offense.
With all the money being spent, some are questioning whether there’s enough left to re-sign Watt, who remains frustrated over not getting a new contract.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted Monday that more NFL teams may soon start internal talks about trying to acquire Watt via trade.
CBS Sports, which included Detroit among the likely destinations, said: “Aidan Hutchinson may be one of the NFL’s top young pass rushers. But Detroit’s been exploring upgrades across from him, having tried Za’Darius Smith last year and pursuing an edge rusher on draft day. Even better, they’ve got more than $40 million in 2025 cap room to meet Watt’s financial demands and cement their loaded roster as one of the league’s best.”
The Steelers have not signaled any willingness to trade Watt and remain confident they’ll strike a new deal with the 2017 first-rounder.
