Ex-Eagles Player Pushes Back on TJ Watt Trade Idea
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
TJ Watt's search for a new deal is ongoing and forcing the Pittsburgh Steelers to pick up the phone to hear trade proposals from teams in the league. The Philadelphia Eagles recently popped up as a popular link to the situation for multiple reasons.
Howie Roseman isn't one to shy away from considering a blockbuster deal, and he likes to build in the trenches. Knowing those two factors, there's an assumption that the Eagles could at least make a call to inquire about Watt's true availability as his situation stretches out without getting resolved.
As the situation continues to play out, former Eagles defensive lineman Hugh Douglas recently thought about a potential deal getting done between the Eagles and the Steelers. When a hypothetical framework of Nolan Smith and a late-round pick in exchange for Watt was tossed out on the airwaves, Douglas pushed back on the idea.
Read More: Eagles' Saquon Barkley Sends Clear Message To Dallas Cowboys
"It doesn't play into the defense is a luxury, not a necessity, situation," the former Eagle said.
"The reason I say it like that is this: You're going to have a high-priced older player that has a Hall of Fame resume, no question about it, but Nolan has a tremendous upside as of right now. He's much cheaper."
Linebacker T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers pumps up the crowd during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, at Empower Field at Mile High on September 15, 2024...
Linebacker T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers pumps up the crowd during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, at Empower Field at Mile High on September 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. MoreGetting great value is the approach Douglas wants the Eagles to continue taking. It's hard to do that when the Eagles would have to pay assets to get Watt in addition to paying him a major contract extension to keep him happy and on the field.
"You're getting more bang for your buck with a lesser-paid defense that was ranked higher than the Pittsburgh Steelers," Douglas added.
The former first-round pick out of Wisconsin has dominated offensive lines since 2017. With 121 games under his belt, Watt has combined 462 tackles with 126 for a loss. He has generated over 100 sacks, setting a record in 2021 with 22.5 in a single season. He was the Defensive Player of the Year at the time.
Read More: Eagles Named as Potential Landing Spot for Steelers' TJ Watt
There's no question that Watt would be an upgrade over Nolan Smith, who just wrapped up his second season in the NFL. With just 10 starts in 33 games, Smith's production doesn't jump off the page.
Still, the Eagles are thrilled with his upside and look forward to what he can bring to the table now that there are several pass rushers who left the building in Philadelphia.
For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Buccaneers Offensive Star's Odds for New NFL Award
Buccaneers Offensive Star's Odds for New NFL Award originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Earlier this offseason, the NFL announced a new award meant to honor the best offensive lineman in the league each season. Advertisement The Protector of the Year Award will be presented annually at the NFL Honors show and will recognize the best player in the trenches each year. Former Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth described the award best. 'This award means everything to the big guys up front,' said Whitworth. 'The Protector of the Year isn't just about stats – it's about the mindset, grit and leadership it takes to be the foundation of a football team. It's time the men who lead, protect and never ask for credit are recognized as the backbone of this game.' Pro Football Focus updated the odds for the award, with the Bucs' Tristan Wirfs with the third-best odds at +1300 behind Detroit's Penei Sewell at +650 and Philadelphia's Lane Johnson at +750. Advertisement "As the reigning winner of PFF's Best Pass Blocker Award in 2024, Wirfs will have a compelling case to be a finalist for the inaugural Protector of the Year honor. Pass protection remains the most critical aspect of tackle play, and Wirfs continues to set the standard for it. His 94.1 PFF pass-blocking grade last season not only led the NFL but also ranked as the second-highest single-season mark among all offensive linemen in the past decade. The winner will be selected by a panel of former offensive linemen based on skill metrics, impact, leadership, durability and strength of opponent. The initial panel includes former players LeCharles Bentley, Jason Kelce, Shaun O'Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Whitworth. As the Bucs' current left tackle, Wirfs is the only player to make the Pro Bowl as a right tackle and a left tackle, and he's been voted to the Pro Bowl in four of his first five seasons in the NFL. The former Iowa Hawkeye has also received two first-team All-Pro honors and one second-team All-Pro honor. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
49ers Ex Destroys Former Team With Blockbuster Trade ‘Hot Take'
49ers Ex Destroys Former Team With Blockbuster Trade 'Hot Take' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The San Francisco 49ers and their fans understand the idea of making tough financial decisions …. And probably cannot throw stones at the news that the Miami Dolphins finally found a trade-dump partner for veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey and veteran tight end Jonnu Smith. Advertisement But Raheem Mostert can. The Pittsburgh Steelers come out the winners here as they are the new employers of a pair of Pro Bowl standouts. So what's the problem? Niners ex Mostert - who is also a former starter for those same Dolphins - is roasting Miami for treating its standouts 'like (expletive).' Mostert carved out a reputation for himself during his time in San Francisco as a productive tough guy whose best season with the franchise came in 2019 when he racked up 952 total yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. He was good with the Dolphins, too, but his role decreased last year and he joined the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. Advertisement Teams make budget cuts. Most players get that. Hey, didn't San Francisco recently dump Deebo Samuel in a trade largely due to finances? Wasn't there a roster juggling act performed by GM John Lynch to pay Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Fred Warner that put the squeeze on others? But even as all of that is factual, that doesn't mean Mostert's emotion-driven "hot take'' is wrong ... even with the burning-bridges risk involved in him so openly and willingly opting to buck the NFL's salary cap based system that is never going away. Related: Kittle To Let Wife And WWE Guide His Retirement Plan from 49ers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bettors Aren't Believers in Steelers Blockbuster Moves
Bettors Aren't Believers in Steelers Blockbuster Moves originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a remarkably aggressive offseason. For a team that historically prides itself on measured moves designed for consistency, an offseason makeover that so far has included a pair of blockbuster trades and a significant signing is something of a departure. However, head coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh braintrust are eight years removed from their last playoff win, and their seats are likely getting pretty hot right about now. Advertisement To that end, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receiver D.K. Metcalf, tight end Jonnu Smith, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey have been enlisted to add some firepower to both sides of the ball. Despite the star-studded moves, the oddsmakers are not impressed. Currently, the Steelers are only favored to win a slight six of seventeen games in 2025. This, according to Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan. Of course, lines change all the time, and the NFL is still over two months away from opening night. However, it seems unlikely that there are any blockbuster moves left in the Steelers' arsenal that could raise the confidence in the team over the coming weeks. Advertisement The biggest question mark facing the team is whether Pittsburgh will work out its contract impasse with linebacker T.J. Watt. Watt, a four-time All-Pro, is in the final season of a four-year, $112 million contract extension. He held out of the Steelers' mandatory veteran minicamp to try and force the team to negociate, but so far, both sides are not close. A trade of Watt, one of the NFL's best defenders, would not do much to augment the team's current reputation with the oddsmakers, however. Related: Dolphins Trade All-Pro Cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Steelers This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
