The Packers Won't Hedge Their Offseason Bets By Adding TJ Watt

A lot of people don’t know this, but the Green Bay Packers could have drafted T.J. Watt.

By choosing cornerback Kevin King and Watt’s teammate Vince Biegel in the 2017 NFL Draft, Ted Thompson started a chain reaction that still reverberates to this day. Watt became one of the league’s best defenders, winning multiple All Pros and even Defensive Player of the Year. King … did not.

Fast forward to 2025, and Watt, who is in the final year of his four-year, $112 million contract, didn’t go to mandatory minicamp as he seeks a new deal. The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly don’t want to trade their star player, but you never know what can happen with frustrated superstars.

Could the Packers make a move for T.J. Watt eight years after they first passed on him?

It’s more likely Kevin King finds his way back on the roster before Watt. Most fans probably know this, but sometimes I have to be the fun-killer.

Ignoring whether or not Watt is actually available and Green Bay’s historical reluctance to trade for aging players, Green Bay made it clear how they feel about their pass-rush group by making minimal changes this offseason. The Packers firmly believe that new defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington can be the catalyst for internal growth and help make the returning group a more consistent attacking force in 2025.

The pass rush was a consistent issue in 2024 despite appearing fine on paper. The Packers had a top-10 defense overall in Jeff Hafley’s first season, ranked eighth in sacks, and had a middling pressure rate.

But it was a feast-or-famine unit and didn’t show up during impactful conference games. Sacking Will Levis 9,000 times and shutting out a terrible New Orleans Saints team inflated the stats. However, you never knew which group you’d get every week.

Still, the unit is predominantly made of first-round picks with some exciting depth players. With T.J. Slaton‘s departure in free agency, Green Bay’s starting four is likely four first-round picks. On paper, the talent is there.

The Packers seem to agree and didn’t make any major moves save a change in leadership.

DeMarcus Covington worked under Bill Belichick as a coordinator and has a strong track record of maximizing his players’ potential. The same can’t be said about former defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich, who was the lone holdover from former defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s staff.

The Packers made no moves toward signing other disgruntled AFC North pass rushers like Myles Garrett or Trey Hendrickson, so they probably won’t make a serious offer for Watt. Beyond the top guys, there were plenty of available pass-rushers in free agency, but Green Bay shopped elsewhere. It wasn’t until Day 3 of the draft that they added to the line, bringing in a different build of rusher in the form of Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, along with depth in Warren Brinson.

Every move (or lack thereof) shows Brian Gutekunst’s faith in Jeff Hafley and Covington to inspire the current starters.

The hope is that in Year 2 of the new defense with an upgrade at positional coach, Rashan Gary will look more like his consistent, pressure-generating self, Lukas Van Ness can take a leap forward and be a consistent starting force, Kenny Clark can bounce back after his worst season as a pro, and Devonte Wyatt can finish plays and become a key interior disrupter.

With Gary and Clark, we’ve seen enough highs to believe these veterans can get the job done. Wyatt has moments of greatness that we hope can become the norm. Van Ness has a lot to prove in Year 3, but we saw some flashes in the back half of 2025. The reasons for optimism are clear, especially if everyone can stay healthy (something that wasn’t true last season).

Still, it’s probably the biggest question mark on the roster. Even with Jaire Alexander on a new team, the pass rush is more concerning than the secondary. Their best run stopper, Slaton, is gone, and there’s a lot of pressure on two first-round picks hoping for contract extensions. There are some promising new rookies, and Brenton Cox and Kingsley Enagbare had their moments, but the Packers are hoping for growth from their core of first-rounders.

Attempting to trade for Watt might help in the short term. However, it would demonstrate a lack of faith in their current roster, which contradicts the team’s approach to roster management this offseason. For better or worse, the Packers will bet on the internal growth of their defensive line, and the Watt/King discourse will continue as it always has.