Opinion: Change Is Difficult, But Moving On From Watt May Be Inevitable

If there is one thing Steelers fans should take from the Myles Garrett trade, it’s that change is inevitable — no player is immune to it. With Mike Tomlin no longer head coach and Mike McCarthy now at the helm, the Steelers’ defensive identity has shifted as well. What was once a unit built around a singular, dominant defensive playmaker has transitioned into a more balanced, assignment‑sound structure.

Now we get to the elephant in the room: Trent Jordan Watt, one of the greatest players ever to wear a Steelers uniform. He elevated the defense at a time when it desperately needed a game‑breaker — a force multiplier, a fan favorite, a once‑in‑a‑generation talent. But even legends eventually collide with the realities of roster construction.

We’ve seen Watt’s decline in real time, with last season arguably the worst of his career. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t be a crisis. But the team re‑signed him to one of the highest‑paid non‑QB contracts in NFL history last summer. If his production matched the price tag, this conversation wouldn’t exist. Unfortunately, it hasn’t — and now with linebacker Herbig given a healthy contract extension, they still have Joey Porter Jr. to keep in the fold.

The truth is simple: keeping both Porter Jr. and Herbig long‑term requires financial clarity, and Watt’s deal is the single biggest obstacle. Porter already plays like a franchise corner, and Herbig is emerging as a legitimate starting‑caliber edge with real upside. Both will command significant money when their rookie deals expire, and Pittsburgh cannot afford to repeat the mistake of over‑concentrating cap space at one position group, even if it's possible to keep him, Herbig, and Alex Highsmith. Moving Watt opens the financial runway to secure two young defenders who align with the team’s future timeline rather than clinging to a veteran whose peak may no longer match the next competitive window.

There’s also the structural issue: you simply cannot pay three edge rushers top‑tier money in today’s NFL. Alex Highsmith is already locked in, Herbig is trending toward a major role, and Porter represents the type of cornerstone defender you build around for a decade. Keeping Watt forces the Steelers into a lopsided roster construction that squeezes out depth, flexibility, and the ability to retain emerging talent.

Sentimentally, it’s easy to say “keep Watt and let the chips fall where they may” with Porter. But the reality is harsher. Letting Watt go — difficult as it may be — is the only path that preserves the balance needed to maintain a sustainable defensive core. Under the McCarthy regime, the Steelers are clearly shifting toward a youth‑driven defensive nucleus, and Porter and Herbig are central to that evolution.

Watt’s contract, age, and timeline simply don’t match the direction of the team. As painful as the decision may be, it’s essential if Pittsburgh wants to keep its emerging stars, reshape the defense around players entering their prime, and avoid being trapped by a contract that no longer fits the philosophy or the future.