T.J. Watt doesn’t think he needs preseason game time

Getty Images Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt finally feels good again, but he doesn’t feel like he needs to play in a preseason game to be ready.
Via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Watt practiced yesterday for the first time since a hamstring strain early in training camp, which has kept him out of all their preseason games.
And as more and more teams are playing fewer and fewer actual players in these games, Watt downplayed the need to take a snap against another team before doing it in the regular season opener against the Browns.
“We practice so hard here on the South Side that it really doesn’t matter for me,” Watt said.
“We’re going up against one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, so I don’t feel like I need game time, but I’ll never turn down game time if I’m allowed.” Of course, it’s unlikely he’ll be allowed at this point, adding to the trend of teams treating these games as something akin to a glorified scrimmage for their backups (at full price for the fans, however).