The fifth-year option for contracts of players selected in the first rounds of NFL Draft classes was introduced in the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Prior to that, first-round picks simply had five-year contracts, to which they were bound unless released.
Since the introduction of the fifth-year option, the Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted nine players in the first round. They’ve previously exercised the options on Cam Heyward (2011), David DeCastro (2012), Ryan Shazier (2014) and Bud Dupree (2015), and passed on the options for Jarvis Jones (2014) and Artie Burns (2016).
The Pittsburgh Steelers have from now until May 3 to pick up the fifth-year option for linebacker T.J. Watt who was drafted in 2017.
In the coming weeks, the Steelers will pick up Watt’s fifth-year option for 2021, which will come with a projected price tag of $10 million for that season.
Until then, the Steelers will have Watt for an absolute bargain considering how he’s played in his first three seasons. According to Over the Cap, Watt is scheduled to earn $1.7 million ($2.9 million cap hit) in 2020.
Watt has produced 34.5 sacks, the most of any player in team history in his first three NFL seasons, including an AFC-best 14.5 in 2019 which earned him a first-team All-Pro designation. His 12 forced fumbles over that span are twice as many as any other player from his draft class. Watt also has three interceptions.
Because of the fifth-year option, the Steelers don’t need to worry about signing him to an extension this offseason.
However, when they do extend him, Watt will make bank. Before the 2022 free agency period, expect the Steelers to sign him to a highly-lucrative contract north of $100 million.
For some perspective, LB Khalil Mack received a six-year, $141-million deal ($23.5 million per year average) from the Chicago Bears in 2018.
Watt will be seeking a contract in that range or more. And he’ll be worth every penny.
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