I’ve been a Cowboys fan long enough to know some draft mistakes never disappear. For me, passing on T.J. Watt in 2017 is right at the top of that list.
Now, years later, the NFL might be giving Dallas a second chance nobody expected.
A Steelers Reset Could Open a Door That Never Should’ve Closed
We have all seen the headlines about Mike Tomlin stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 years. Could this lead to a rebuild for the Steelers?
Conversations are starting that would’ve felt unthinkable just a year ago.
When teams truly reset, even franchise icons can become part of the discussion.
This feels like it could lead to a reset, which may benefit the Cowboys.
T.J. Watt Isn’t Just Elite—He’s a Game-Ending Problem
Let’s be honest, Watt isn’t just another good pass rusher. He’s a Defensive Player of the Year, sack leader, and turnover creator.
Watt is the type of defender offenses have to scheme around every single game, and yes, he is the same player the Cowboys passed on for Taco Charlton.
We know how that turned out and the miss still stings.
The Contract Timeline That Makes This Conversation Real
T.J. Watt’s contract is an albatross type of contract. The 2026 number could make the trade conversation a serious thought for the Steelers.
Watt is under contract through the 2028 season after signing a three-year, $123 million extension.
Beginning in 2026, his cap hit escalates drastically to the $40+ million range annually, locking Pittsburgh into a massive long-term financial commitment during what could be a full organizational rebuild.
I could see the Steelers prioritizing flexibility, draft capital, and a younger core. Moving on from future money could be appealing to a new coach.
Even it means parting with a franchise superstar.
I’ve covered how the Cowboys can free up $100+ million in cap space and this move would require that creativity and commitment, but elite pass rushers rarely become available without some type of serious investment.
Why Jerry Jones Can’t Sit This One Out
If there is one thing we know about Jerry Jones, he knows the value of star power and how it can tilt a season.
Championship windows don’t stay open forever, and Jerry himself has talked about his age and the desire for another championship.
Opportunities to add a proven closer like Watt don’t come around often.
Draft Picks Don’t Win in January—Pass Rushers Do
I’m not pretending this would be a cheap move.
Pittsburgh would demand major draft capital, likely starting with a first-round pick. One thing we need to remember is that draft picks don’t rush quarterbacks, T.J. Watt does.
Picture T.J. Watt in Silver and Blue for a Moment
Let’s all take a moment, and imaging Watt closing games in Dallas.
Seeing him wrecking playoff protections and doing what he has always done, only this time with a star on his helmet.
Correcting one of the worst, most painful draft mistakes in franchise history.
Some Draft Mistakes Fade. This One Is Asking for Redemption.
I don’t know if the Steelers fully rebuild, I don’t know if Watt truly becomes available, but if there’s even a glimmer of hope, the Cowboys have to be on the phone immediately.
Some mistakes belong in the past, so this one deserves a second chance.
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So far you have been spot on in making solid arguments for Cowboys draft picks your take on Watt is questionable Watt is a great player and closer the Cowboys drafting of Taco Charlton by passing on Watt still gives me nightmares with Watt his age and physical status requires a very serious evaluation of his ware and tear then Jerry and co must ask themselves is there a younger potential Watt in this draft or a Demarcus Ware would be a dream come true
This is wishful thinking ! After trading Parsons because of what we were told “Cap Reasons”, acquiring Watt would be absolute embarrasment for Jerry. That would be accepting he made a mistake, which he will never admit of doing. I just don’t think this will happen.
Paying Watt that much money is totally different than paying Parsons that much money!! Watt is actually good at everything, he’s a true elite player, and Parsons wasn’t!! Parsons was elite at rushing the passer for about 12 maybe 13 games, but after that he was nowhere to be found!! He has a total of 1 sack in 4 playoff games!! And he was trash against the run!! Watt on the other hand is elite at rushing the passer and stopping the run!! And he don’t dissappear when the games are most important!! So Watt would definitely be worth giving that much money to!! And what Watt is making is quite a bit less than Parsons is making right now too!! Watt is making about the same amount as what Jerry offered Parsons to begin with!! And money wasn’t the only reason Parsons was traded!! It was a mix of a lot of different things, like being a distraction…. Laying down on the training table while everybody else is practicing, and acting like a child…. Whining because he didn’t get his own way!! And then the worst part is how he agreed to a contract with Jerry and told him to take it to his agent to sign, and then backing out of it just because his agent started crying because he wasn’t involved in the negotiations!! That’s just a few reasons he was traded!! We wouldn’t have to worry about any of that stuff with Watt!! So if Watt became available, it would be worth checking in on!!
I wouldn’t bite on that Watt trade. He’s on the wrong side of 30 with a lot of wear and tear. At 32 he won’t be an every down player. Even Clowney wasn’t utilized fully and he’ll be 33. Jones is in the twilight of his life and won’t see a championship ever again with the present set-up (that he created) until he plugs the roster with savvy veterans through free agency. George Allen, with the approval of Jack Kent Cooke, decades ago did it with the Washington Redskins mixing veteran talent and shrewed draft picks in bringing championship teams into DC.
Another crazy comment!! First of all, Watt isn’t on the wrong side of 30!! And he definitely won’t stop being an every down player in just 2 more years!! He’s not gonna stop being that good in just 2 years!! Look at D Law, he’s 33 right now and he’s still a full time starter for the seahawks and he just had one of best seasons of his career!! And Watt is way better than Lawrence has ever been!! And Clowney wasn’t utilized as an every down player because Eberflus didn’t want any of his linemen to be in there on every down!! It didn’t have anything to do with his age, it’s got to do with keeping them all fresh the whole game and the whole season!! And Clowney still ended up leading our team in sacks and that’s after coming in late in the season and playing less than everybody else!! So just because these players are 30 or a little over 30, it doesn’t mean they’re not gonna be the same player in 2 years!!
And you don’t know if Jerry is gonna see another championship or not!! And idk what your talking about when you said with the present set up, but even that sounds stupid!! And he isn’t the one that created anything wrong with this team…. In case you forgot, Jerry has 3 rings on his hand right now, so he obviously knows what he’s doing!! The only that’s changed since the last Super Bowl win is Stephen Jones got more control over the team after that season!! That’s the problem with the team, not Jerry!! But it looks like Jerry is getting desperate for another Super Bowl, so it looks like he’s gonna be more involved with the stuff Stephen has been screwing up!! Jerry gets what he wants, so don’t think he won’t get another Super Bowl before he dies!! But hopefully he don’t read any of your comments and listen to them, because if he did, he definitely wouldn’t win another Super Bowl!! You seriously have no idea what your talking about!!
a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s I don’t see T.J. Watt leaving the Steelers to go the Cowboys