Gerry Dulac Reveals TJ Watt’s Contract Timeline as Mike Tomlin to Trade DE to $4.1B Franchise

“Worth the wait.” That’s what TJ Watt and his wife, Dani, said last month when they finally welcomed their baby girl after months of waiting. But when it comes to his future with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Watt probably wouldn’t say the same. Lately, he’s been dropping hints on social media – the most talked-about one being a photo of him flashing two deuces. Some thought it was just a cool pic, but others sensed it was about his contract situation. And they weren’t wrong.

With defensive stars like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby getting paid big, Watt’s ready for his own payday. As per the reports, he’s looking for over $40 million a year – even more than what Garrett’s making. Meanwhile, the Steelers? It seems Mike Tomlin and the front office haven’t even started talks yet. So the big question now: will they lock Watt in long-term, or could this be the beginning of the end?

According to Gerry Dulac, who appeared on a new episode of The Rich Eisen Show, it seems TJ Watt will get his money from the Steelers this offseason. But the question is when. During the podcast, Dulac talked about TJ Watt’s condition and the interpretation of his cryptic social media posts. He said, “TJ wants to stay here. They want to keep him here. What it’s going to take, we’ll see. I can’t answer that question right now. I think it’s an end-of-the-summer type of, you know, August for sure type of situation. That’s where it would get resolved.”

So, that means, as per the Steelers insider, TJ Watt will get the deal from his team late, by August. Now this point raises one question: How much will he be paid this time? Answering the same, Dulac highlighted that last time, Watt held in during camp until he got that huge contract. But now, after battling injuries the past few years, he probably won’t land a massive deal like before. He expressed, “He was a hold in last time and then of course, they gave him that monster deal. But you know, TJ’s been hurt here (in) the last couple years. And he’s played through injuries to his credit. But you’re not going to see another monster deal like he had the first time relative to the salaries. But they want to keep him and he wants to be here.”

All in all, both sides want this relationship to continue, and Dulac believes Watt isn’t planning to leave anytime soon. But another report that’s coming up says something totally different from what Dulac thinks.

The Steelers might trade TJ Watt?

TJ Watt has one more year remaining on the four-year, $112 million extension that he signed with the Steelers in 2021. That means he is slated to earn $21 million this year, before hitting the free-agent market. But as Mike Tomlin and the team are taking a lot of time, it seems the situation isn’t in favor of what Watt wants.

According to some reports, the LB could really be on his way out of Pittsburgh. It’s wild to even think about, right? But between the cryptic posts and the way things have gone lately, it feels like something’s brewing.

No doubt, TJ Watt’s been the heart and soul of that defense, and without him, Mike Tomlin’s no-losing-season streak (18 seasons) might finally snap. Still, the Steelers might be thinking bigger picture. And if they do move on, teams like the $4.15 billion valuation Lions will be all over it. Detroit’s desperate for a boost after injuries crushed their playoff dreams, and pairing Watt with Aidan Hutchinson would be a nightmare for any opposition.

Watt’s still got plenty left in the tank, but Pittsburgh has to ask itself – is it time to cash in and build for the future? If Watt’s even close to being available, contenders like the Bills, Lions, and Commanders will be dialing non-stop!