JJ Watt is a FA

[Rotorhead]

Wow, he asked to be traded, I assume he wants to play for a contender to get a ring, too bad we are in rebuild mode, would be great to have all 3 Watt bros on this team!

[Mojouw]

If he doesn't go home and ring chase with the Packers...I think he ends up in Pittsburgh.

[hawaiiansteeler]

he's not a good fit here unless we switch to a 4-3.

[Mojouw]

he's not a good fit here unless we switch to a 4-3.

He would have to decide that playing even one season with his brothers is more important than anything else. He would be underpaid in Pittsburgh and have to play a situational pass rusher role moving between DE and OLB. He could be used much like how Tampa uses JPP in their version of the 3-4.

It almost certainly will not happen. There are better scheme fits and more cash out there. But I just have a sense that the lure of being able to play with his brothers is going to be far stronger than most fans expect.

[ETL]

He asked to be released and it was granted.

I wonder if he believes if Ben can really win a SB. If not I would take minimum pay and play with Mahomes

[86WARD]

he's not a good fit here unless we switch to a 4-3.

Steelers play enough of everything that they could fit Watt into that mix...easily. Just a matter of whether he would want to pay for nickels and dimes to hang out with his brothers. Which may not be that far out of the realm of possibility.

[Rotorhead]

He asked to be released and it was granted.

I wonder if he believes if Ben can really win a SB. If not I would take minimum pay and play with Mahomes

Yeah, not traded, long week.

[Born2Steel]

he's not a good fit here unless we switch to a 4-3.

@napreport twitts JJ wants to come to Pittsburgh and play a LT/TE hybrid position. Never been done before.

[pczach]

The 3-4, 4-3 thing doesn't even really matter. Everyone talks about the Steelers as a 3-4 team, when they actually play a ton of 4-3 or variants thereof with personnel.

If JJ Watt wants to come here at an affordable number, the defensive schemes won't stand in the way. Make it work to get the best football players on the field and put them in a position to succeed.

I don't know if the team is interested or not. I would think that they would be for the right number to complete the trifecta of Watt brothers.

Tomlin said. "Everyone should have a Watt." Maybe he really didn't mean it and he wants them all for himself.

[Born2Steel]

Will the Texans still have to pay him the $17.5M for 2021 if he's just released?

[hawaiiansteeler]

@napreport twitts JJ wants to come to Pittsburgh and play a LT/TE hybrid position. Never been done before.

but can he play center?

[Born2Steel]

but can he play center?

Another 'never done before'. He will center the ball from the LT/TE hybrid position. Or so Twitts @napreport.

[Lloydwoodsonjr]

Wow, he asked to be traded, I assume he wants to play for a contender to get a ring, too bad we are in rebuild mode, would be great to have all 3 Watt bros on this team!

More like limbo than a rebuild. I feel bad for Heyward, Decastro and other vets.

[DesertSteel]

he's not a good fit here unless we switch to a 4-3.

Yeah that’s what I heard about Aaron Donald when he was being drafted. Great players work anywhere.

[teegre]

I have said it before, and I am saying it again...

JJ will play for the "family discount" price ($8 million?)... basically taking Alualu's spot (cap-wise and snap count).

[hawaiiansteeler]

Yeah that’s what I heard about Aaron Donald when he was being drafted. Great players work anywhere.

where would you put him in our 3-4, nose tackle?

[Mojouw]

where would you put him in our 3-4, nose tackle?

Donald could be:

NT - and basically function like Hargrave but infinity times better.
DE - I mean if Heyward and Tuitt are racking up sacks and plays behind the LOS, WTF would Donald do? Just set up camp in the backfield?

Gone are the days of the down 3 in the Steelers 3-4 being asked to waddle up to the line of scrimmage and grab onto and occupy as many blockers as possible for as long as possible and hope the LBs make the play. All of the D line players/positions are being tasked with working upfield and making plays -- I think that Donald might do okay in that set-up.

[Disco1981]

Donald could be:

NT - and basically function like Hargrave but infinity times better.
DE - I mean if Heyward and Tuitt are racking up sacks and plays behind the LOS, WTF would Donald do? Just set up camp in the backfield?

Gone are the days of the down 3 in the Steelers 3-4 being asked to waddle up to the line of scrimmage and grab onto and occupy as many blockers as possible for as long as possible and hope the LBs make the play. All of the D line players/positions are being tasked with working upfield and making plays -- I think that Donald might do okay in that set-up.

Donald who?

[Mojouw]

Donald who?

Not sure what the thread questions were going towards...I thought that someone was asking how you would use Aaron Donald in the Steelers 3-4? And the answer is basically anyway you can?

As for JJ Watt...he plays a super-sized OLB pass rush role and can even put his hand down and play some DE when needed. Although he is 16 pounds lighter than Alualu...he might even be able to soak up some interior snaps as well.

He would be total luxury piece for the defense...put if he played on a "I just want to play with Derek and TJ" discount...who cares? Just find snaps for him.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Donald could be:

NT - and basically function like Hargrave but infinity times better.
DE - I mean if Heyward and Tuitt are racking up sacks and plays behind the LOS, WTF would Donald do? Just set up camp in the backfield?

Gone are the days of the down 3 in the Steelers 3-4 being asked to waddle up to the line of scrimmage and grab onto and occupy as many blockers as possible for as long as possible and hope the LBs make the play. All of the D line players/positions are being tasked with working upfield and making plays -- I think that Donald might do okay in that set-up.

sorry, I meant JJ Watt.

[lipps83]

I would say it is a pretty likely chance of him coming here. They have such a unique opportunity that would literally be unrivaled in sports. There is a lot of love there between THREE brothers, and love will trump money every time when money is not needed (unless you are ridiculously greedy). He still won't come cheap though.

You know TJ and Derek are both blowing up his phone about it.

The parents probably are too.

They are all in on it.

He will probably sign just so he doesn't have to hear about it from the entire family (uncles/aunts/cousins) if he went elsewhere. He would be the biggest dork of the family.

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He probably wouldn't get invited to any more family gatherings.

[tube517]

Not sure what the thread questions were going towards...I thought that someone was asking how you would use Aaron Donald in the Steelers 3-4? And the answer is basically anyway you can?

As for JJ Watt...he plays a super-sized OLB pass rush role and can even put his hand down and play some DE when needed. Although he is 16 pounds lighter than Alualu...he might even be able to soak up some interior snaps as well.

He would be total luxury piece for the defense...put if he played on a "I just want to play with Derek and TJ" discount...who cares? Just find snaps for him.

Did Houston run a 4-3 defense? I thought Crennel was a 3-4 proponent.

[DesertSteel]

[DesertSteel]

Good teams adjust the scheme to the talent to put them in the best position to succeed. That would be the case with JJ in the black and gold. He's only 31 and I think can rejuvenate his career much like Kevin Greens did with the Steelers. JJ has already made over $100M and I think would take a team friendly deal to play with his brothers and for a class organization for a change.

[ThorndikeFFA]

Realistically, Watt still has some game left in him, just not as an every down player. Some coach just has to convince him that Watt's best way to maximize his $$$ earning power is to become a situational pass rusher and big drive player. So he plays in the rush end packages on 2nd/3rd and long and only plays every down on 2 or 3 drives per game that are 'must stop' type drives. Keeps the miles and hits off of him, stay healthy, and go rush the QB. That would probably be considered a luxury position/signing for the Steelers, but not outside of the realm of possibilities.

[DesertSteel]

Realistically, Watt still has some game left in him, just not as an every down player.

Are you basing that on his sack totals or from actually watching him play?

[Mojouw]

While Watt's production is down statistically from his previous high standards (looking at non-injury shortened seasons) he was double-teamed more than any other EDGE player last season. I can't remember where I saw it, but he was a visually distinct outlier on the graph - it was that much of a disparity.

What is my point? He must have some "juice" left or NFL teams wouldn't be wasting resources accounting for him. While he may no longer be "JJ Watt DPOY and Destroying of All Offensive Gameplans All the Time", I bet he can still make plays when healthy and on a team with some other good defensive players.

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Did Houston run a 4-3 defense? I thought Crennel was a 3-4 proponent.

No idea. I know Houston had injuries all over the defensive side of the ball last year, particularly at LB. They may have ended up running whatever they had healthy bodies for.

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sorry, I meant JJ Watt.

Yeah. It was actually clear when I read back through. My confusion was from posting without enough caffeine coursing through my sytem!

[ThorndikeFFA]

Like I said, a luxury pick up that will most likely not happen. No, he hasn't been healthy enough to light up the sack totals the last two seasons. That said, does he have gas in the tank? 1/4 of a tank? A team will pick JJ up and, if they use him wisely, his veteran leadership and attitude could pay dividends in some team's playoff run. That's all I'm saying...not advocating for a Steeler signing the Watt Brothers side show. Just sayin...

[vasteeler]

I'm not sure why some of you guys think we're in rebuild mode right now. We are just a running game away from competing for a championship. With a running game and the defense we have, Ben can get us there

[Steel Peon]

I would find this entertaining at least, win or lose, so I'm in favor.