Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt expected to become highest-paid defensive player in NFL history

[DesertSteel]

Not about burning but it should be about tossing couches over railings!

I’m not sure you’re familiar with WVU.

[BnG_Hevn]

There were only two players that I was ever ticked that the Steelers didn't pay and let walk away because they I felt they were being cheap.

Rod Woodson and Chad Brown.

I think in the 90's when others teams were yanking and paying Steelers players top dollar left and right, is what started the reputation. As others have mentioned they are always pretty much at the cap every single year, if they were a cheap organization they would always be well under.

I believe Brown was offered legit money, he left b/c he wanted to start on the other side where he was starting. Porter, Lloyd or whomever was in the position he wanted. I remember his wife talking him up too so she played a huge role in him leaving. So, was it simply for more money or slightly more money + position?

[hawaiiansteeler]

where is Bud Dupree?

[86WARD]

where is Bud Dupree?

I totally forgot about him being on the Titans. Lol.

[st33lersguy]

where is Bud Dupree?

And here I thought the lightbulb turned on for him and that he finally put it all together, not that he was just playing for a contract and/or benefited from playing next to TJ, at least that's what some people on this board said

[Mojouw]

He did tear his ACL like 9 months ago. That might have more than a little bit to do with stuff...heard a wild rumor that those take a minute to come back from.

[Fire Goodell]

DongSmith hasn't been as effective as Dupree

[DesertSteel]

DongSmith hasn't been as effective as Dupree

They're tied in sacks this year. But Dongsmith is getting paid less for his sacks.

[steelreserve]

A better question is, how is Javon Hargrave doing? That is the player we had to give up for half a year of Dupree.

[Fire Goodell]

A better question is, how is Javon Hargrave doing? That is the player we had to give up for half a year of Dupree.

I wish we kept him. I like Alualu but at his age, we couldn't have expected him to make it through the season without getting injured.

[steelreserve]

I wish we kept him. I like Alualu but at his age, we couldn't have expected him to make it through the season without getting injured.

We have the benefit of hindsight now, but between those two players with what we know now, it's no contest.

I was kind of concerned that our DL was going to be looking thin by now anyway, with Heyward getting up there in age and Tuitt getting beat up a lot. That was one case where a guy would have had extra value to us because of our own personnel situation. I personally wish we would've spent our $$ on Hargrave instead, but of course I never liked Dupree very much even when he was "good."

[DesertSteel]

It would be nice if we got our money’s worth out of Tuitt also. He’s an injury machine.

[Fire Goodell]

We have the benefit of hindsight now, but between those two players with what we know now, it's no contest.

I was kind of concerned that our DL was going to be looking thin by now anyway, with Heyward getting up there in age and Tuitt getting beat up a lot. That was one case where a guy would have had extra value to us because of our own personnel situation. I personally wish we would've spent our $$ on Hargrave instead, but of course I never liked Dupree very much even when he was "good."

I think it was less hindsight and more our cap situation at the time. I don't think anyone wanted Hargrave to go, but we just couldn't afford what his market value was at the time. DL is a glaring need because like you said, Heyward is getting up there in age, and Tuitt is always injured. Especially running a 3-4, if you don't have DL that can dominate the LoS, it doesn't matter how talented the rest of the defense is, it won't work.

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It would be nice if we got our money’s worth out of Tuitt also. He’s an injury machine.

This also. He's good when he's available, but that's often never.

[Mojouw]

I'm not certain Hargrave would have stayed here for any amount of money. The role in the defense and the DL pecking order was not in his favor. Just strikes me as a guy who was able to double down on a FA move. Better role and more $$$.

For the future of the Steeler DL...they better be right about Loudermilk. If they are, they are fine. If they got it wrong, it cost a trade up to get a mediocre rotational lineman or worse.

[hawaiiansteeler]

T.J. Watt towards the bottom of the Steelers defensive Pro Football Focus grades

In the grades provided by PFF, Watt apparently had his worst game in three seasons.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...grades-wormley

[Fire Goodell]

T.J. Watt towards the bottom of the Steelers defensive Pro Football Focus grades

In the grades provided by PFF, Watt apparently had his worst game in three seasons.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...grades-wormley

PFF factors in dong sacks i guess

[steelreserve]

I think it was less hindsight and more our cap situation at the time. I don't think anyone wanted Hargrave to go, but we just couldn't afford what his market value was at the time. DL is a glaring need because like you said, Heyward is getting up there in age, and Tuitt is always injured. Especially running a 3-4, if you don't have DL that can dominate the LoS, it doesn't matter how talented the rest of the defense is, it won't work.

I think we had the money to sign Hargrave if we didn't franchise Dupree, but there was no way we could do both. Maybe we figured out early on that Hargrave was leaving anyway and that's why we didn't make a serious run at him. Then keeping Dupree was the obvious choice.

I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that we had a guy in Hargrave who usually kicked ass any time he was on the field, in whatever DL spot we put him, and we couldn't find enough playing time for him in a unit where we only had two other effective linemen and they were old and beat up. But somehow that's exactly what happened. How did we not see that situation? I don't know. The whole Hargrave situation was just a shame.

T.J. Watt towards the bottom of the Steelers defensive Pro Football Focus grades

In the grades provided by PFF, Watt apparently had his worst game in three seasons.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...grades-wormley

I believe it. He wasn't terrible, but I got the sense that the nagging effects of the injury robbed him of some of his explosiveness.

[86WARD]

A better question is, how is Javon Hargrave doing? That is the player we had to give up for half a year of Dupree.

Very well.

[teegre]

The past two seasons, Heyward and Tuitt have BOTH ranked in the “top five” for interior D-linemen. This season, Heyward is ranked #1. With the Steelers playing more & more sets with only TWO D-linemen, it didn’t make sense to keep Hargrave.

As others have said, it wasn’t so much about money as it was about Hargrave wanting more playing time.

[steelreserve]

The past two seasons, Heyward and Tuitt have BOTH ranked in the “top five” for interior D-linemen. This season, Heyward is ranked #1. With the Steelers playing more & more sets with only TWO D-linemen, it didn’t make sense to keep Hargrave.

As others have said, it wasn’t so much about money as it was about Hargrave wanting more playing time.

That was the issue. It was a mistake to be using defensive sets that kept him on the bench. You should be getting your best players on the field as much as possible, so who do you want - Hargrave, or your worst linebacker? (who in recent years was often Vince Williams or worse, thanks to all the injuries.)

It looked like for some unknown reason, we were stuck in a way of thinking that you should only use three linemen in situations when you would have used Casey Hampton. We outsmarted ourselves and lost a good player because we were married to a formation.