The NFL offseason has been wildly entertaining, with some big trades and free agency moves being made. The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, who received Minkah Fitzpatrick. The following day, the Dolphins traded away a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Giants in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick and retired tight end Darren Waller.
With less than two months until the NFL kicks off and trade rumors buzzing, there might still be fireworks coming. Who could be traded next?
The Steelers are making moves this offseason, but the most important one still isn’t done. Superstar pass rusher T.J. Watt is still awaiting a new contract. He’s reportedly skipped minicamp with Pittsburgh and could even hold out. The Steelers say they’re not interested in trading the 30-year-old centerpiece, but a good offer might be hard to turn down.
Plenty of teams have shown interest in Watt, and could make a big play for his talents. Following Pittsburgh’s trade with the Dolphins, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported:
“In recent weeks, multiple teams have been discussing whether they can trade for Steelers’ standout T.J. Watt, who skipped the team’s most recent minicamp. Pittsburgh hasn’t shown any willingness to deal Watt so far, but he’s unhappy with his contractual situation, and sources believe outside team interest is likely to increase given today’s trade.”
One team rumored to make a move is the Arizona Cardinals. Their defensive struggles are no secret, and Watt could make an immediate impact.
Arizona certainly has the cap space to afford Watt. With over $36 million in cap space, they sit at fourth in the NFL in available money. Arizona would have to give up a lot for Watt, and for a team still putting things together, that might hurt them in the long run. While the Cards are a possibility, who could benefit from Watt now?
The Green Bay Packers are rumored to be mulling over a trade for Watt. Green Bay, unlike Arizona, is a deep playoff contender, and T.J. Watt could put them over the hump. The Packers rank just below the Cardinals in cap space, currently holding over $35 million.
The Packers are looking to win the NFC North this season. The Detroit Lions lost both coordinators and are starting fresh, and the Minnesota Vikings are starting over with essentially a rookie QB. This is their chance to take over the division and make a strong playoff run. They’ve made improvements on offense, and Jordan Love is entering Year Three as a starting QB.
T.J. Watt doesn’t come without a hefty price, but the Packers could make a legitimate push for the Super Bowl with someone like him.
The most important thing to note here is that Watt will most likely be re-signing with the Steelers. It’s extremely unlikely they actually move someone who has been the face of the franchise for nearly a decade.
If the Steelers did trade Watt, it wouldn’t be the first time they did something despite claiming the contrary. During this offseason, GM Omar Khan said the door wasn’t closed on re-signing running back Najee Harris. Harris then walked in free agency and signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.
During Kenny Pickett’s days with Pittsburgh, he reportedly was assured by the team that they wouldn’t be bringing in veteran competition. Then they signed Russell Wilson and traded Pickett shortly after.
None of that is to say they’re being disengenuous in their desire to keep Watt. He’s the cornerstone of this franchise, and keeping him should be Pittsburgh’s top priority. It’s doubtful they move on from someone like T.J. Watt, especially if they want to make a playoff run.
The Steelers are making big moves this offseason, and it seems they’re in win now mode. Moving on from Minkah Fitzpatrick and George Pickens, as opposed to sorting out new contracts with them, is telling of that.
It seems as though most players are expendable right now. Pittsburgh doesn’t seem to be prioritizing long-term contracts or plans for the future. They want to make a run and win a playoff game for the first time since the 2016 season.
The Steelers moving on from T.J. Watt is highly unlikely, but the possibility still exists. With the moves we’ve seen during this NFL Offseason, especially from Pittsburgh, nothing should be considered impossible.
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