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The Pittsburgh Steelers know that they are blessed to have T.J. Watt on their defense. The four-time All-Pro is one of the most productive edge rushers in the NFL during his time in the league. Watt is sometimes forgotten when discussing the best pass rushers in the NFL. However, a poll of NFL personnel reveals that Watt is regarded as special by those in the know.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler spoke with NFL executives, coaches, and scouts in an effort to create a comprehensive rankings of the best edge rushers in the NFL in 2024. It should be no surprise to Steelers fans that T.J. Watt received high marks on this ranking. However, he fell just short of capturing the top spot.
Watt came in at second, just behind a division rival in Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
One voter dubbed Watt the “Aaron Donald of pass rushers,” meaning the player who should top every list. Watt is definitely a menace on the field. Watt led the NFL last year with 19 sacks and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
“He can't be labeled a high-motor guy — he's just exceptionally hard to block, probably the hardest in the league,” a high-ranking NFL official said. “He has technique, power, counters, violence, bend. Everything you want.”
T.J. Watt has 96.5 sacks through his first seven years in the NFL. This ranks third all-time right behind Reggie White (110) and DeMarcus Ware (99.5).
The lowest ranking that Watt received with fifth, which is pretty disrespectful considering how talented he is.
Perhaps Watt will use the ranking as bulletin board material and try to become the highest-ranked pass rusher next year.
Steelers' T.J. Watt earns shocking DB take from Bengals QB Joe Burrow
T.J. Watt is a surprisingly controversial evaluation in the NFL. It seems clear as day that he is one of the best defenders in the league. However, it certainly depends who you ask.
Joe Burrow would know better than most. He's played against the Steelers twice a year since coming into the NFL. He recently praised Watt for his unique coverage skills at the linebacker position.
“T.J. is a unique player in this league,” Burrow said on PardonMyTake. “There's no other defensive lineman I have to treat like a DB. I have to be conscious about where he's at. Because he's going to jump up and catch it. And there's nobody else who can do that.”
The stats back up Joe Burrow's words. Throughout his NFL career, Watt has seven interceptions and 45 passes defended. Those are solid numbers for an edge rusher.
However, some of Watts' peers don't agree. Cowboys star Micah Parsons believes that Watt is not in the top five when it comes to rushing the QB. He added that Watt isn't in the same conversation as Myles Garrett, which contradicts these rankings from ESPN.
“Look at the stats,” Parsons said on the Zach Gelb Show and reported by foxsports.com. “The stats don’t lie. He was fifth or sixth, but I think (Steelers' teammate) Alex Highsmith might have had a better pass rush win rate. And he had a (better) double-team rate than T.J. Watt if you really want to be statistical.”
We'll be eager to track Parsons' stats next to Watt's in 2024.
