Report: Steelers Quietly Gauging T.J. Watt’s Trade Value

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not actively shopping T.J. Watt, but they are doing the math.

Pittsburgh has begun exploring what Watt might command in a potential trade if contract talks collapse, according to team insider Mark Kaboly of “The Pat McAfee Show.” While no formal offers have gone out, the team is reportedly taking early steps to assess the market behind the scenes.

“They are obviously inquiring to see what that (return) might be,” Kaboly said during a Friday appearance on 93.7 The Fan, as transcribed by Pro Football Talk. “If it gets to the point where it’s point of no return, maybe that second-round pick becomes very handsome.”

Watt’s demand is clear: He wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. But the Steelers are not close to matching the $40 million-per-year figure set by Myles Garrett earlier this offseason. Watt has already skipped mandatory minicamp in protest ahead of his contract’s final year.

Publicly, Kaboly later posted on X that “no inquiries” have been made to other teams, a position echoed by sources close to the organization. But what is being said and what is being done suggests the team is keeping its options open — if only for leverage.

The idea of a Watt trade would have been unthinkable just months ago.

He is a seven-time Pro Bowler, led the league in sacks three times, and remains the face of a defense built to compete now.

Pittsburgh kicks off training camp on July 23. Watt is not expected to hold out, but until a deal is done, the situation remains fluid.

Kaboly hinted that even gauging a second-round return may be “due diligence,” but if the current standoff drags into late summer, it could become much more than that.

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