Could the Steelers add Watt? Sure, but at right price

The video of J.J. Watt announcing he was going to be released by the Texans hadn't even finished playing yet for the first person who saw it when Steelers fans began clamoring for the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year to come to Pittsburgh.

After all, the Steelers already employ Watt's younger brothers, Derek and T.J. Wouldn't a Watt family reunion make sense?

Sure, on paper. Who wouldn't want to add a player with Watt's abilities to their defense? In fact, there is already rumored to be a strong market in place for Watt, a five-time first-team All-Pro who is still just 31 years old.

T.J. Watt also chimed in on it, making a public pitch for it to happen.

But can it?

It depends largely on what Watt wants to do with the final few remaining years of his NFL career. He's earned $100 million on the football field. But he's also won just three playoff games, advancing past the first round just three times in five playoff appearances with the Texans.

So, winning is said to be important to him. The Steelers offer that chance, having gone 12-4 last season, though they were bounced out of the playoffs in the opening round.

"I don't think it's any secret that I don't have 10 years left in this league," Watt told reporters in November. "I personally believe that I do have a few more great ones left in me. But ... I'm not looking to rebuild. I'm looking to go after a championship, and that's what I want to do."

There might be some more tempting spots for him to land. Green Bay, for example, would give Watt an opportunity to return to Wisconsin and has quarterback Aaron Rodgers in place. Playing for the team for which he grew up rooting might be too good to pass up. 

And perhaps Watt might feel that Buffalo, Cleveland or Tennessee might offer a better opportunity to win now.

Then, there's the money aspect of things. The retirements of Vance McDonald and Maurkice Pouncey in recent weeks have cleared some cap space for the Steelers. But, according to Spotrac, they're still $14 million over the 2021 estimated cap of $180 million.

They still need to do more to get under. Part of that could include restructuring or extending the contract of Ben Roethlisberger. But that would likely only clear enough space to get the Steelers to the 2021 cap.

More would need to be done to create enough space to compete with teams such as the Bills, Titans or Browns, who are in better cap shape right now. They, quite simply, can offer Watt more money than the Steelers can. The Steelers can't, nor should they, get into a bidding war for Watt given their current cap situation.

There's also the aspect of how the Steelers would use Watt. With Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt already in place, would Watt be willing to be more of a rotational player. He's capable of playing anywhere on the defensive front, so being used as a situational pass rusher opposite his brother to help replace Bud Dupree would make some sense.

However, the question also needs to be asked what does he have left in the tank? He's coming off a season in which he played a career-high 97 percent of Houston's defensive snaps while playing in all 16 games. But that added up to 52 tackles, 17 quarterback hits, five sacks and one interception. 

This is not the vintage version of Watt the Steelers would be acquiring.

It also would mean the Steelers likely couldn't afford to bring back Tyson Alualu to play nose tackle. And bumping Heyward or Tuitt to the nose in the base package wouldn't be the best use of their talents.

So, the Steelers would have to invest in a nose tackle who is capable of starting right away in the draft since they don't have one currently on their roster.

Is that all possible? Sure.

Is it probable? That's a different question.

And the only person who can answer it is Watt, who has let it be known he wants to take a few days before making any decisions. He would have to take less money and perhaps a lesser role to play with the Steelers.

And only he knows if the lure of playing with his brothers is strong enough to make him want to do that.