The last season was very uncharacteristic for T.J. Watt by his standards. So, the Pittsburgh Steelers fans are hoping the veteran edge rusher quickly returns to his dominant level. However, ESPN’s latest position rankings have only added to the concern surrounding his outlook.
Watt dropped from No. 2 all the way to seventh among edge defenders. He now trails Houston Texans’ Danielle Hunter, Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, Houston Texans’ Will Anderson Jr., Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons, and Los Angeles Rams’ Myles Garrett.
NFL Executive Feels T.J. Watt Is on Decline as The Steelers Star Drops in ESPN Ranking
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler recently published an article where he revealed what an NFL executive thinks of Watt.
“Definitely in decline,” an AFC exec told Fowler. “He’s still very good. But some of the younger players have surpassed him.”
The evaluation marks a notable shift for Watt, who has captured the sack title three times in his career and held the No. 2 spot in ESPN’s rankings during each of the previous two years.
Last season, in 14 games, Watt recorded only 7 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback hits. Those numbers were well below the standard he established over the past several seasons.
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Still, the Steel City remains hopeful because Watt has repeatedly bounced back from difficult stretches throughout his career. However, Fowler revealed, one evaluator believes injuries have affected parts of Watt’s game.
“He can win with his high motor and his flair for the big play, but the burst and get-off isn’t the same as it was as a result of lower-body injuries,” the NFL personnel evaluator said to Fowler.
Watt also missed three late-season games in 2025 after suffering a partially collapsed lung during a routine dry needling incident at the team facility.
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Beyond the on-field production, another concern is Watt’s contract. Before the 2025 season, the Steelers committed to their star pass rusher with a three-year, $123 Million extension that included $108 Million in guaranteed money. That deal officially begins in 2026, and it leaves Watt carrying a $42 Million cap hit in each of the next two seasons.
Because Watt turns 32 in October, some around the league view the contract as a significant gamble.
If Pittsburgh parts ways with him next offseason, the current dead cap charge sits at $52 Million. That figure makes an exit almost impossible, and the financial burden only becomes more complicated over time. The Steelers could explore restructuring the deal, but that path comes with its own challenges.
So the team will hope Watt returns to the level that made him one of football’s most feared defenders. Even that task may not be simple, as he is expected to share a larger portion of snaps with fellow outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig throughout the season.
Ultimately, everything now comes down to Watt’s response on the field. If the veteran can rediscover his trademark explosiveness, he has every opportunity to climb back into the conversation with the NFL’s elite edge rushers.
