Steelers sign TJ Watt to four-year mega-deal

The Pittsburgh Steelers have made outside linebacker T.J Watt the highest paid defensive player in the NFL, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The deal is worth more than $112 million, an average of $28.003 million per year. A four-year extension, Watt is guaranteed $80 million.

The Steelers and Watt have been in contract negotiations during all of preseason to sign Watt to an extension as his rookie contract expires at the end of this season.

Watt has proven on the field he deserves a new contract. In four seasons, Watt has notched 230 tackles, 49.5 sacks and 17 forced fumbles. He was selected first-team All-Pro in the last two seasons. Last season, Watt had his best season yet, leading the entire league in sacks with 15. Watt finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

With a deal agreed upon, T.J Watt and Steelers now turn attention to their Week One matchup Sunday against Buffalo.

Steelers and T.J Watt contract dispute

During training camp, he participated in meetings and conditioning but did not participate in drills, spending team periods conditioning on the sideline.

Watt was selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft and was entering the option year of his rookie contract. If the two sides were unable to reach an agreement, Watt would have entered free agency or franchise tagged in March.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo detailed the reason behind the dispute. He seems to believe that this whole dispute hinges on a single point of contention. Pittsburgh will not guarantee money in multi-year contracts beyond the first year. They prefer to load up the signing bonus or have the player’s salary increase every season to make them happy, but will not guarantee money.

“The Steelers policy of not having guarantees beyond year one,” Garafolo explained. “I’ve spoken to agents throughout the morning, agents not connected to the T.J. Watt thing who are rooting for T.J. Watt and his agents on this one because it drives them nuts. And they’re not the only team that does it. Cincinnati does it, Green Bay does it. In Ben Roethlisberger’s case he got injury guarantees so at least he got a little something going forward.”

Garafolo went on to explain that the problem is greater for the Steelers because the Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa recently signed a contract with guarantees that Watt is using as a benchmark.

“In T.J. Watt’s case he’s looking at Joey Bosa’s deal because remember, you’re always comparing it to the other guys at your position. Bosa’s got fully guaranteed money essentially into the third new year of his contract.”