Steelers 2-a-days: Derek Watt cashes in this year, but T.J.’s next contract will dwarf big bro’s
Editor’s note: Leading up to a unique Pittsburgh Steelers training camp staged at Heinz Field this year, the Tribune-Review will be running through the team’s 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2020 season. The breakdown will go through the roster, in mostly alphabetical order, two per day, between June 9 and July 23, a day originally planned to be reporting day for players to camp. (Contract data courtesy spotrac.com)
When Derek Watt hit free agency for the first time last week, the #Steelers were among a handful of teams to show interest in the 27-year-old fullback.
He didn’t know how much interest until the 48-hour legal tampering period was over. https://t.co/pGrDBwTrj8
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) March 27, 2020
FB DEREK WATT
Experience: 5th season
Contract status: $2.08 million cap hit in 2020, first of a three-year contract signed in March
2020 outlook: After four seasons as niche contributor on offense with a core special-teams role for the Chargers, Watt in March joined his brother with the Steelers by signing a $9.75 million, three-year contract. Derek Watt will actually make more money in 2020 than his younger and more famous brother, who still is on a entry contract.
Bottom line: Derek Watt figures to fill the same role with the Steelers he has over the first four years of his career. He’ll play roughly one of every six or offensive snaps, on average, while serving as a leader of the special teams unit. It’s the role Roosevelt Nix served for four-plus seasons until back injuries derailed his 2019 season and compelled the Steelers to release him in March. Watt averaged slightly more touches (receptions or carries) than Nix has, and he lined up at tight end a little more often, too. For the investment the Steelers made, it would be reasonable to assume they expect more usage out of Watt than they did Nix.
OLB T.J. WATT
Experience: 4th season
Contract status: $2.9 million cap hit in 2020, Steelers exercised fifth-year option for 2021
2020 outlook: Just three years into his career, Watt has already established himself as one of the NFL’s premier edge rushers as well as one of the best first-round picks the Steelers have made. Factoring in he was taken at No. 30 overall, the case could be made that other than Patrick Mahomes, Watt was the best pick of the 2017 first round. It was a forgone conclusion the Steelers this spring were going to pick up Watt’s fifth-year option of almost $10.1 million for 2021.
Bottom line: There is no question the Steelers will work over the next 14 months to lock Watt up to a long-term contract that could reach nine figures if in 2020 he has a season resembling last year’s 14½-sack, eight forced-fumbles output. Watt likely won’t match his other brother J.J. in claiming three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, but he has the look of a player who can be just as disruptive to opposing offenses. Barring injury, Watt in 2020 once again will be arguably the best player on what is one of the NFL’s best defenses.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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