Steelers News: T.J. Watt Contract Dispute May Impact Week 1

It's no secret that star edge rusher T.J. Watt wants a new, lucrative deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two sides have been working on a contract extension that could reset the linebacker market, but there's no agreement in place yet.

Watt's "hold in" at Steelers practice is still ongoing without a new deal, and that's scary news with the regular season only days away from kicking off.

Week 1 feels in doubt absent a new deal in short order. Watt stays in excellent shape but Steelers value practice-in-order-to-play with pretty much all players. https://t.co/BLsgjcBfwT
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 6, 2021

T.J. Watt Contract News

Watt did his own individual workout on Monday as the rest of the team prepared for their Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills. That's been the norm for the star EDGE all offseason, but time is ticking. Pittsburgh puts an emphasis on full practice reps ahead of games, and the Steelers are testing their luck with no deal in place.

It'd be a catastrophe for this defense to take the field without Watt in Week 1. The former Wisconsin standout has two First Team All-Pro nods in four seasons and just placed second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He racked up a league-leading 15.0 sacks and 23 tackles for loss along with 7 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles in 2020.

Watt is playing on the last year of his rookie deal, and it's hard to blame the star defender for not taking the field until his long-term financial security is in place.

Watt's contract status is worth keeping a close eye on ahead of Sunday's contest. The Steelers are currently 6.5-point road underdogs against the Bills, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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