NFL Shows Exactly How Valuable Steelers' T.J. Watt Is

Even after a slow finish to the 2024 campaign, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt remains one of the best pass rushers across the NFL.

In a piece written by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that ranked the top edge rushers based on votes from league executives, coaches and scouts, Watt placed second behind Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett.

"Watt is a worthy rival to Garrett in the AFC North," Fowler wrote. "His 108 career sacks rank third all time for a player's first eight seasons, behind Reggie White (124) and DeMarcus Ware (111). He's a near-lock for an All-Pro team every year. And he leads the NFL in forced fumbles over the past two seasons, along with being second in sacks (30.5) and quarterback hits (63).

"But he's stuck in the No. 2 spot for the second consecutive year while Garrett separates."

Watt logged 11.5 sacks and six forced fumbles, the latter of which led the league, last season. His performance earned him a second-team All-Pro spot, marking his first full campaign since 2019 in which he wasn't on the first-team.

The 30-year-old was among the frontrunners for the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award before not recording a sack in four of his final five contests. Even after that mini-slump, Watt was the fourth-place finisher while Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II took home those honors.

"Watt's play lacked splash late in the season, with seven total tackles and zero sacks over his final four games including playoffs," Fowler wrote. "His pass rush win rate dipped from the low-20s to 18.5%.

"'I thought he wore down a little bit,' an NFL coordinator said about Watt's late-season clip. 'But their whole defense did. I think they just got tired, and the struggles on offense could have played a role.'"

Watt remains Pittsburgh's No. 1 option off the edge, though there are some questions about his longterm future with the organization. The two sides have yet to come to terms on an extension as he enters the final year of a four-year, $112 contract, and ESPN's Adam Schefter stated that they're currently far apart in talks while on "Unsportsmanlike".

There appears to be plenty of trade interest in Watt, but it would make little sense for the Steelers to move on from him in what's become an "all-in" year for the franchise. The expectation remains that the parties will hammer out a new deal somewhere down the line, though the situation will become increasingly unclear the longer it drags on.