TJ Watt rumors: ESPN's Adam Schefter details possibility Eagles trade for Steelers' pass rusher

Could TJ Watt be traded to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles? ESPN’s Adam Schefter was asked about the possibility, but didn’t seem confident the Eagles would get even richer on the defensive side of the ball.

Philadelphia has to replace a good amount of production from last year’s elite unit. But, with the amount of young talent bound to get paid soon, the Eagles seem to be good long term on defense.

Adding Watt would certainly frighten opposing offenses in 2025. But Schefter doesn’t think Watt will be trading his Pittsburgh address for one across the Keystone State.

“I think the Eagles are planning and budgeting to pay their own players,” Schefter said on 97.5 The Fanatic. “They’re going to have any number of young stars from Jalen Carter to the two cornerbacks [Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell] that they drafted last year they have to go pay in the future. They already paid Zack Baun, they paid Saquon Barkley. At some point they’re going to have to address the offensive side.

“There’s so many contractual situations that you have and it makes it hard to go trade for a TJ Watt and pay him upwards of $30 million dollars a year. It just doesn’t work. Would you love to have him? Of course. Every team would. But can you make it work feasibly, financially, structurally? That would be incredibly challenging for the Eagles to do.”

If any general manager can finesse the salary cap to get Watt into the fold, it’s Howie Roseman. But as Schefter pointed out, it would still be incredibly challenging.

Currently, the Eagles have pass rushers Jalyx Hunt, Moro Ojomo and Nolan Smith who all contributed to the Super Bowl win last year. Smith is a former first round pick out of Georgia, the same year as Jalen Carter and a year after Jordan Davis.

Yeah, adding Watt to that group would be quite scary. But, the Super Bowl champs are currently not in the Watt business.

Watt, 30, is entering the final year of his four-year, $112 million deal he signed in 2021. By skipping mandatory minicamp, Watt was subject to a $17,462 fine on Day 1, $34,925 on Day 2 and $52,381 on Day 3. That’s $104,768 in accumulated fines. However, if he gets an extension at the rate ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects — it will be nothing but a drop in the bucket for the star defender.