As of right now, T.J. Watt — one of the premier linebackers in the NFL — is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And, in turn, Watt is sitting out of OTAs. Because of this, trade rumors have begun to swirl, and the question of where he lands is very much a hot discussion.
For the record, holdouts during OTAs aren’t anything new, nor are they uncommon. And, believe it or not, they typically lead to both sides hashing out an agreement and everyone living happily ever after. Do I, as a Steelers fan, think that Pittsburgh will let Watt go? The answer is no. But weirder things have happened. Though I’d still stake my money on Watt being a member of the Steelers for the foreseeable future, there is the chance that things aren’t resolved and that the team has no choice but to get value for him while they still can.
As we here at Operation Sports have done in the past, we fired up Madden 25 to see what the Steelers could get for a player like Watt, easily one of the best defensive players in the league.
What Do Teams Offer For T.J. Watt In Madden 25?
Upon starting a new Franchise mode save (with the rosters updated following the Jalen Ramsey trade). Because if we’re going to simulate a contract dispute, we’re taking care of this during preseason before every team has it figured out.
In total, the Steelers received 7 different offers. While I was expecting maybe a few more, I understand why, as Watt creates a big cap hit. Nevertheless, the offers were mostly good. Mainly, teams offered one player and a litany of draft picks in exchange for Watt’s services. But which one did I like the most?
It was really between the offers made by the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints. Here’s what each team offered.
Seattle Seahawks offer:
- HB Kenneth Walker III
- 2025 3rd round draft pick
- 2026 5th round draft pick
- 2025 6th round draft pick
- 2027 7th round draft pick
New Orleans Saints offer:
- SS Justin Reid
- 2025 3rd round draft pick
- 2026 5th round draft pick
- 2026 7th round draft pick
Outside of this, the New York Jets made an enticing offer involving wide receiver Garrett Wilson and two third-round picks. But I decided to take the Saints’ deal. The Seahawks offered a ton of draft capital, which made the trade difficult. But getting rid of Watt meant that the pass rush was going to take a huge hit, so I decided that shoring up the secondary was the wise choice.
