NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It’s hard not to imagine how much better the Titans could be with T.J. Watt at the head of their edge-rusher line.
Watt’s got 108 sacks in 212 NFL games, 30.5 in his last 34. The Titans as a team had 32 sacks in their 17 games in 2024.
A top, proven pass rusher is tempting and would unquestionably upgrade Tennessee’s defense. But the Titans will not be involved in any trade talk regarding Watt or Trey Hendrickson.
Watt of the Steelers and Hendrickson of the Bengals are waiting on new contracts.
But the two players who were drafted in 2017 are heading into their age-30 seasons. The Titans are intent on holding onto the draft picks it would cost to acquire them and sticking to a timetable where they likely wouldn't fit.
For the Titans to give up the draft capital Pittsburgh or Cincinnati would want and to spend the big dollars it would cost to extend Watt or Hendrickson would run counter to those themes.
Any temptation dissipates as the Titans focus on developing raw second-round edge Femi Oladejo and scouting another top edge in next year's draft.
Myles Garrett (29) sets the bar for average at edge at $40 million annually, while Maxx Crosby (28 for the season) got $91.5 in total guarantees on a three-year extension, with $62.5 million guaranteed at signing.
Wat and Hendrickson could continue to rush the passer well for multiple years, but the risk of players dipping grows as they cross 30 and head into a third (Watt) or fourth (Hendrickson) contract.
The Titans' 2026 starting edges are likely to be a first-round pick and Oladejo, a bit of a project who only played 10 games at the position at UCLA after moving from inside linebacker.
The Steelers have maintained they have no interest in trading Watt. Hendrickson is more likely to be moved.
