Steelers pick up fifth-year option on Watt

When the Steelers picked up the fifth-year option on Bud Dupree a couple of years ago, a lot of fans screamed bloody murder over the move.

Nobody will be fretting the team picking up the fifth-year option on fellow outside linebacker T.J. Watt, which the Steelers did on Tuesday.

But the fifth-year option on Watt will be a lot more expensive than the one the Steelers picked up on Dupree, who earned $9.2-million in 2019.

Part of the new CBA signed earlier this year includes new guarantees for first-round draft picks in their fifth-year option. Previously, the top-10 picks in the draft received an average of the top players at their position in the league, while the remaining 22 first-round picks were slotted in on pre-set salaries.

The Steelers have no real idea what Watt's salary will be in 2021. But they do know it will be expensive. Under the new CBA rules, players on whom the fifth-year option is picked up will make a performance-based salary. Given that Watt is a two-time Pro Bowl player in his first three seasons and was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, he stands to get a big raise, perhaps even as much as $20-plus million guaranteed in 2021.

Because of that, the Steelers would like to sign him to a long-term contract extension sooner rather than later.

In addition, under the new CBA, when teams pick up the fifth-year option, that player's fourth-year salary becomes fully guaranteed, as well. Watt is scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.727 million in 2020.

The 30th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Watt, 25, has become a star, recording 34.5 sacks in his first 47 games. He also has forced 15 fumbles.

The Steelers have traditionally exercised the fifth-year option on their first-round draft picks since that rule came into play, with linebacker Jarvis Jones and cornerback Artie Burns being the lone players on which the Steelers did not pick up the fifth-year option.

NFL teams had until May 4 to pick up the fifth-year option.