As the Chicago Bears prepare for training camp, arguably the biggest area of need on the roster remains pass rush. Perhaps the Bears’ best option to create backfield havoc is outside the organization.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and TJ Watt have been unable to come to terms on a long-term contract. Teams around the league have begun considering making trade offers, especially after the Steelers dealt for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. With how dominant Watt has been, his pairing next to Montez Sweat would immediately give the Bears one of the scarier pass rush duos in the NFL.
Sources: In recent weeks, multiple teams have been discussing whether they can trade for Steelers’ standout T.J. Watt, who skipped the team’s most recent minicamp. Pittsburgh hasn’t shown any willingness to deal Watt so far, but he’s unhappy with his contractual situation and… pic.twitter.com/iBh1DJr4uD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 30, 2025
But unfortunately for Chicago, the NFL does not work the same as Madden. There are countless roadblocks for a trade to actually come to fruition. Rather than draining the well, the Bears should avoid any Watt trade talks altogether.
TJ Watt contract problems
There is no doubting Watt would make the Bears a stronger team. He has been named to the Pro Bowl the last seven seasons, earning four All-Pro nominations and a Defensive Player of the Year award as well. Watt has 108 sacks to his name, including double digit numbers in every year he played more than 10 games.
The problem though is exactly what’d it would cost to acquire Watt. For starters, the Bears would need to give up valuable draft capital. While general manager Ryan Poles has proven his willingness to swing a deal – Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson – a trade for Watt would require a massive haul. While it’d be a sign that Chicago feels they’re ready to compete, head coach Ben Johnson is still building the foundation of his roster.
Furthermore, whoever trades for Watt will then need to sign him to a massive contract. The pass rusher wants to the highest paid non-quarterback in the entire league, via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Will the stalemate between TJ Watt and the @steelers conclude any time soon?#NFL #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/V4KDuXoFiy
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) July 1, 2025
The Bears have almost $15 million available in cap space, the sixth-fewest in the NFL. Sure, Chicago can move around the numbers with contract restructurings, but Watt would take up a large amount of space on the books for the foreseeable future. His play is deserving of that type of deal, the Bears may just not be the right team to offer it.
Chicago gave Dayo Odeyingbo a $48 million contract during the offseason. Obviously comparing him at face value to Watt isn’t fair. But the Bears at least believe he’ll continue to grow next to Sweat. While it wouldn’t be shocking to see Chicago continue to add to their pass rush at training camp, Watt would be too far big of a swing in Johnson’s first year at the helm.
Chicago Bears contract problems
The Bears have doled out plenty of extensions throughout the offseason. Jonah Jackson, Joe Thuney, TJ Edwards and Kyler Gordon all tied their future to Chicago. However, Poles will have more contract decisions to make in the near future.
Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Andrew Billings, Braxton Jones and Jonathan Owens are all set to be free agents. Brisker seems most likely to earn a long-term extension if he rebounds well from injury. If Jones stays healthy and solidifies himself at left tackle, he likely won’t leave either. While the veterans will require short-term deals, Chicago won’t want them to leave if they continue bringing strong play and leadership.
But the biggest contract issue Poles will have to deal with will come by 2028 at the latest, when quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze are set to be free agents. If Johnson’s offensive scheme works as planned, then they’ll undoubtedly receive contract extensions. If Watt is locked in a long-term deal though, the Bears will only be further strapped for cash.
It’s hard to fault anyone tantalized by the idea of Watt in the Windy City. But based on how the Bears are currently constructed, there are too many hurdles to cross to justify a deal.
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