The NFL was shocked when Myles Garrett's trade took place, showing no star is completely off limits. Many are questioning which defender would be next. Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt, the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, is drawing attention, as his future has become a talking point.

After the Garrett blockbuster, analysts have started analyzing whether the Detroit Lions should pursue a similar move for Watt. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared his take.

"l'd be harder-pressed to say Watt would be traded like Garrett was, but these are the realities that teams face now when they're paying a guy $40 million a year, and he gets in his 30s," said Fowler on the DVE Morning Show.

After securing a three-year, $123 million extension with $108 million guaranteed last offseason, Watt enters 2026 facing questions about his production. The veteran pass rusher managed seven sacks in 14 games during the 2025 season, leaving many Steelers supporters wondering if he can regain his dominant form.

The situation gets complicated for Detroit here. Even though Nick Herbig served as Pittsburgh's third edge rusher behind Watt and Alex Highsmith, he recorded 7.5 sacks in a rotational role.

Now, the Steelers decided to keep Herbig with a lucrative extension worth $100 million for 4-years. So, they have significant money invested in three edge rushers, including Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig. It leads to a financial crunch allocating that much of the salary cap, reported to be $18.54 million by Over the Cap, to one position group.

On top of that, Watt will turn 32 in October and is owed $32 million in guaranteed salary in both 2026 and 2027, making Pittsburgh question his future plans.

At the same time, the Lions are preparing for a future mega extension for edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Committing another huge contract to Watt could impact salary cap flexibility and future roster construction.

The idea of pairing T.J. Watt with Hutchinson is exciting, but Detroit's front office may have to prioritise Jahmyr Gibbs' contract first.

Lions face Jahmyr Gibbs' Contract Decision

Detroit is preparing for contract discussions with Jahmyr Gibbs, whose value has escalated after three straight Pro Bowl seasons and outstanding performance on the field, as per Heavy.com.

Gibbs made it clear that business matters will take care of themselves while he is focused on football. Analysts have predicted extensions ranging from three years and $69 million to four years and $84 million, figures that will place Gibbs among the highest-paid running backs.

Any record-setting deal for Gibbs would affect the Lions' tendency to pursue expensive veterans. The Lions also have future financial commitments with players such as Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch.

If Detroit ultimately has to choose between acquiring another star and retaining its own talent, recent developments suggest Jahmyr Gibbs could be the player the franchise prioritizes.

Will that lead the Lions to trade Watt and free up cap space? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Hetal Moleshri

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar