CBS Sports NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala said Wednesday there's a "disconnect" between Watt and the Steelers, similar to what happened last time there was a contract dispute in 2021. Watt last signed a four-year, $112 million deal in 2021 that averaged $28 million per year at the time.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ negotiations with T.J. Watt must clear hurdles regarding guaranteed money as well as the annual salary the superstar pass rusher will receive. Cleveland’s Myles Garrett shattered the edge rusher market when he landed $40 million per year with the Browns.

One NFL analyst went so far as to propose the Los Angeles Rams as a trade partner, writing that general manager Les Snead could offer edge rusher Byron Young and one of the team's two 2026 first-round picks for Watt. Whether or not Snead and Sean McVay would entertain such a trade remains to be seen, but the idea is intriguing.