Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt goes through a drill Wednesday during a practice for Sunday’s season opener against Buffalo. Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger believes T.J. Watt is perhaps the best player in the NFL.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to pay the game-wrecking outside linebacker like it.
A person with knowledge of the agreement says the team and the two-time All-Pro have come to terms on a four-year extension worth $112 million that will make Watt the highest-paid defensive player in the league. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the financial terms were not publicly announced.
The deal was first reported by NFL Network.
Watt, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, will be paid an average of $28 million a season over the course of the extension, which exceeds the $27 million annually made by Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa.
The agreement also ends any speculation about the team’s long-term plans for Watt and clears up his availability for Sunday’s season opener in Buffalo.
Watt did not practice during 11-on-11 drills with the first-team defense until this week after choosing to sit out all four preseason contests and work on individual drills during training camp.
Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday that Watt “looked good” while hitting in pads, though defensive coordinator Keith Butler cautioned there’s a difference between being in cardiovascular shape and “hitting shape.”
“I think we’ve got to be careful about how many plays he plays,” Butler said Thursday. “He’s a veteran. He knows how he feels. He knows how he’s going to feel when he starts playing and stuff like that. We’ve just got to be smart enough to know how much is too much and how much is too little.”
RAVENS: Baltimore listed running back Gus Edwards and cornerback Marcus Peters as limited in practice Thursday after ESPN reported the team feared each player has a torn ACL.
ESPN cited an unidentified source in each report. Losing Edwards would be another major blow to Baltimore’s backfield after the Ravens lost running back J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending knee injury in their final preseason game. Running back Justice Hill went on injured reserve this week.
The team’s next media availability is Friday, but Edwards and Peters were on the injury report with knee injuries. Veteran running back Devonta Freeman is joining Baltimore’s practice squad, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Baltimore opens its season Monday night at Las Vegas.
The Ravens led the NFL in rushing last season, when Dobbins and Edwards combined for 1,528 yards on the ground. Baltimore signed running back Le’Veon Bell to the practice squad this week and signed Trenton Cannon to the active roster.
It’s possible that Baltimore’s top running back for Monday’s game could be Ty’Son Williams, who was on the practice squad last year and has never had a carry in a regular-season game.
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