Should the Rams trade for Steelers OLB T.J. Watt? Here are the pros and cons

USA Today

a day ago

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt could be on the trade block after some speculation from NFL media this week. While it's unclear if the Steelers would even deal their star player, the rumors are enough to kick up potential deals for Watt.
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.
Would a deal for Watt make sense, though? Let's take a look at the pros and cons. We won't look at it from the perspective of this trade idea, though.
Pro: Add a true DPOY candidate
Watt, who'll be 31 in October, won NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and finished top-five in voting in four of the past six seasons. He's also made seven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams in his eight NFL seasons.
To put it bluntly: Watt is a game-wrecker. He has 108 career sacks and led the league in sacks in 2020, 2021 and 2023. Watt also has 126 career tackles for a loss and 225 quarterback hits.
Even with emerging stars like Young and Jared Verse on the outside, Watt is one of the most-feared defensive players in the league.
Con: Cost to acquire
Watt would cost a lot for two reasons: The Steelers wouldn't give him up for nothing and he is seeking a lucrative extension.
Elite edge rushers have cost teams anywhere from a third-round pick (Chase Young, Haason Reddick and Matt Judon) to a second-round pick (Montez Sweat and Khalil Mack) to as high as a first-round pick (Bradley Chubb) in recent years. The highest the Rams have paid for one is a second for Von Miller in 2021.
Watt, meanwhile, would likely cost at least a first-rounder.
Next comes the extension, which Watt may not necessarily want from a new team but easily could ask for if traded. While he may not get Myles Garrett money ($40 million AAV with $88.8 million guaranteed), Watt should get around Maxx Crosby or Nick Bosa money ($34 million to $35.5 million). The Rams simply cannot afford that at the moment.
Pro: Tremendous depth at edge rusher
Watt would be an immediate start on Chris Shula's defense and would give the Rams arguably the best pass-rush unit in the NFL. Watt, Verse, Young and Braden Fiske are four of the best in the league at the moment, and that's without including rookie Josaiah Stewart.
It would be hard for any opposing offensive line to stop all of them throughout any given game. And it might be worth the cost when the second-half of the defense isn't so great.
Con: Limited opportunities for young players
The benefit of adding Watt could also be the detriment to the development of those aforementioned young players.
Verse, Young and Stewart have a combined 51 games of NFL experience. They need reps to grow as players. And with all three still on their rookie contracts, the Rams will want to maximize their abilities now.
Watt has played at least 73% of the Steelers' defensive snaps every season of his career, including at least 83% in each of the past two seasons for Pittsburgh. That. doesn't leave a lot of opportunities for the rest of that trio.
Verdict: Go for it
In an all-in season, these are the types of moves that turn good teams into bona fide Super Bowl contenders. Snead and McVay are known to wheel-and-deal, too, so adding a star like Watt shouldn't be off the table for them if the price is right.
While it would take a lot (and likely one of their Young stars), they have the draft capital to pull off the move and make a true push for the championship in 2025. They would need to do some crazy salary cap shenanigans to pull off a long-term extension, though, or try to convince Watt to play on his current deal with the hopes he can take home a Lombardi Trophy.