Florio Links Watt's Contract Situation To D.K Metcalf

Alysa Rubin/Pittsburgh Steelers

The contract situation involving All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt remains uncertain, and one analyst believes the issue is connected to the Pittsburgh Steelers' newest receiver, D.K. Metcalf.

In March, the team signed the Pro Bowl receiver to a hefty four-year, $132 million extension, making him the fourth-highest-paid receiver in the league. The contract carries a cap hit of $11 million, ranking as the seventh highest on the team.

T.J. Watt, on the other hand, is entering the final year of his four-year contract and still carries the highest cap hit on the team at over $30 million. However, in light of Cleveland's Myles Garrett securing a record-breaking contract extension, the edge rusher market has expanded exponentially. Many believe this could pose a challenge for the team to match, especially as T.J. heads into his ninth season and comes off a year that was below his usual standards.

On Thursday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that a key reason behind T.J.'s holdout from OTAs may be tied to Metcalf’s contract. Florio views this as somewhat of an insult, considering the level of service T.J. has provided to the team since his rookie season in 2017, compared to Metcalf, who is joining the Steelers for the first time.

“DK Metcalf, when they give him a five-year, $130 million contract, and he’s never played for the team before, that’s going to embolden the guy who’s been a loyal servant since 2017 to say, 'If you’re going to give him market value, and he’s a stranger to the Steelers, I want market value too, and it’s not unreasonable for me to expect it.”

One person who has been particularly vocal about the team's handling of this situation is J.J. Watt, T.J.'s brother. Back in March, J.J. asserted that the team made a mistake by failing to extend T.J. before Cleveland's Myles Garrett and Las Vegas' Maxx Crosby received their lucrative extensions. On Wednesday, J.J. expressed his displeasure with the team's contract negotiations during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, making it clear that a hometown discount was no longer a feasible option for T.J.

Between this contract situation and the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers' status with the team, this offseason has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging in recent memory. While the team appears to be leaning toward paying T.J. what he deserves, one can assume they are carefully weighing all available options before reaching a definitive decision.