Steelers should trade star TJ Watt after playoff loss, Colin Cowherd says

The Pittsburgh Steelers' play ended successful unsmooth manner erstwhile they mislaid 30-6 successful the wild-card circular to the Houston Texans, and the enactment is already undergoing large change.

Longtime caput manager Mike Tomlin stepped down aft 19 seasons Tuesday, and determination is nary warrant backmost Aaron Rodgers returns arsenic helium ponders retirement. 

FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd said the Steelers should shingle things up and commercialized prima borderline rusher T.J. Watt to assistance find their backmost of the future.

"A mates of years ago, erstwhile I said I'd determination T.J. Watt and get much picks, that was outrageous," Cowherd said during "The Herd." "T.J.'s 0-for-5 successful the playoffs. How outrageous is it?"

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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt warms up earlier a crippled against the Baltimore Ravens astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh Jan. 4, 2026. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

Cowherd said the Steelers should determination the Defensive Player of the Year to jump-start a rebuild to get a quarterback. Any draught superior the Steelers get for Watt, Cowherd said, should beryllium utilized to get Alabama prima backmost Ty Simpson.

"If you're Pittsburgh with each these picks, my takeaway: You springiness retired astir six of them to get Ty Simpson successful the archetypal round," Cowherd said. "Say what you want, it's something. They person 7 draught picks successful the archetypal 4 rounds. The Steelers person the ammo. Go get Ty Simpson. You don't person to determination up 25 spots. Move up 10.

"Any of these coaches, you've gotta person the quarterback, right?" Cowherd added. "They don't person a quarterback. I privation a quarterback."

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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt watches the enactment against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2nd fractional astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh Nov. 2, 2025. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)

The Steelers already person a batch of draught capital. They ain each of their picks, including the No. 21 wide prime successful the NFL Draft, and person 2 further third-round picks from the George Pickens commercialized with the Dallas Cowboys and a compensatory prime aft the Tennessee Titans signed erstwhile Steelers violative tackle Dan Moore Jr. past offseason.

The Steelers besides person 2 fourth-round picks, giving them 7 selections successful the archetypal 4 rounds of the draft. Trading Watt would springiness them adjacent much draught superior and ammunition for a trade.

In 14 games this season, Watt had 55 tackles, 7 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. The former Wisconsin star has made the Pro Bowl each of the past 8 seasons.

Pittsburgh Steelers extracurricular linebacker T.J. Watt stands connected the sideline aft being injured during the 2nd fractional of a crippled against the Las Vegas Raiders successful Pittsburgh Sept. 19, 2021.  (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

For his career, Watt has recorded 115 sacks and forced 36 fumbles successful 135 games and is perpetually astir the quarterback.

A commercialized of the 31-year-old prima would awesome a rebuild due to the fact that the squad would suffer a pillar of its vaunted defense, but Cowherd thinks it could beryllium necessary.

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Simpson is wide considered 1 of the apical quarterbacks successful this year’s class. In 15 games this season, helium completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions portion rushing for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns.

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