PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers linebacker TJ Watt did talk about wanting a new contract. In a roundabout way.
"I love this team," Watt said. "I love all the coaches and the staff and the players. I'm excited to be here and that's why I'm here."
Watt said he didn't think about waiting to report to camp and said it's not for him to say anything about his contract. When pushed, he offered this.
"I love Pittsburgh," Watt said. "Obviously I would love to be here. All of those decisions aren't really mine to be made. I'm just here right now trying to get better each and every day."
Watt is in the final year of his contract, which will pay him over $10 million this season. Reports are he could want three times that in his next contract.
For the Steelers, this is negotiation time, wanting to ink a new deal before the season starts. Especially with key players, trying to get that done prior to his final season. Their tradition, also, is not to discuss contracts when the regular season kicks off as to avoid distractions.
Watt is now in his fifth year and first ever without Bud Dupree on the other side of scrimmage. The pair combined for 23 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, 9 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles in 26 combined games together in 2020.
"I know I will be at left," Watt said of this season. "Whoever is at right or what the rotation is like, I'm just excited to have more depth. A guy like Melvin in our rotation, in our room. A guy I've watched a lot of film on over the years. A guy I can learn a lot from too. Excited to have more depth in the outside linebacker room and excited for our team as a whole."
Steelers signed Melvin Ingram, 49 career sacks, just a couple of days ago and he is already in camp and getting a crash course in Keith Butler's defense.
"I'm excited, man," Watt said. "Worked with him at the Pro Bowl. I used to watch Chargers games when Derek played in San Diego and LA. Just a player who has a lot of burst off the line of scrimmage. He's got a phenomenal spin move. Just seeing him in person he's a powerful guy and excited to work with him."
A runner-up for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt called Ingram a premier pass rusher and a great guy. Saying he can't play 100% of the snaps and it's good to know they added Ingram to the mix. Watt is sounding like a veteran of numerous NFL seasons.
"Comfort, I'm not out here looking at everything," Watt said of training camp for him now. "Just talking to Melvin today and he had so much running through his mind he didn't have time to focus on the little things. I didn't have any of that. It's all focusing on each and every play, each and every rep. There is no external noise."
"I feel real comfortable with the guys I'm working with, especially up front. Alex (Highsmith) going in his second year, Tyson, Tuitt, Cam, all of us have been together for quite some time now. I feel very, very comfortable going into year five opposed to going into year one."
The Wisconsin native has double-digit sacks in each of the last three seasons. In just four seasons, Watt is already eighth on the Steelers all-time sacks list with 49.5. With another double-digit year, he'll be third all-time.
"Trying to continue to practice and get better each and every day, there is so much meat left on the bone," Watt said. "Knowing that there is a lot of reps and a lot of situations that I wish I could have had back and perform better. Trying to put the work in day-in and day-out and hope it pays off."
