The Pittsburgh Steelers simply can’t pay T.J. Watt $40 million per year, or one dollar more than Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, or whatever figure Watt desires to satiate ego disguised as comparison shopping.

Many absurdities accompany this drama, not least that the Steelers would be paying quarterback money to two players — Watt and wideout D.K. Metcalf — without having their actual quarterback situation sorted.

Then you got Watt’s big-mouth, no-ring brother J.J. doing propaganda for T.J. in the media under the guise of “analysis”: “They should have paid him last year! Now the price went up!”

Funny how J.J. doesn’t negotiate out loud on anybody else’s behalf. Just T.J.’s.

Professionalism is long since dead when it comes to ex-jocks with microphones. Though I hear Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” was very good in a carny, podunk sort of way.

Sell dumb to dummies. That’s where the money is.

But I digress.

T.J. Watt is 30, and it can be presumed his abilities are eroding.

Watt played in all 18 games this past season but had zero sacks in 10 of them. He had no stats whatsoever in the last two games.

Watt was a big factor in some games but a nonfactor in more. His pedestrian total of 11½ sacks was eighth-most in the NFL. That’s his lowest total in a season when he played 15 or more games since 2017, Watt’s rookie year.

We hear that Watt is chipped and double-teamed constantly. But that’s always been the case. If you’re worth $40 million per, you’ve got to overcome.

We hear that Watt played hurt. OK, but he turns 31 in October. Is he going to get hurt less, or more?

We hear that Watt will start lining up in different spots next season instead of continually pursuing his favored path from the edge. Desperation is a stinky cologne. (But it’s a good idea. Overdue, in fact.)

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Watt is still elite. Just not as elite as he was. The arrow is pointed down.

If you look at reality, it’s ludicrous to give Watt $40 million per. Consider facts, not one-helmet romanticism. It’s dumb to pay more to an aging player who has already started to do less.

If Watt gets mad, too bad. (By the way, get mad like a man. Out loud. Not via cryptic Instagram posts.)

If Watt stages a hold-in, trade him. (The Steelers wouldn’t get nearly as much as you think.)

The Steelers will not win a Super Bowl and probably not even a playoff game during the remainder of Watt’s time in Pittsburgh.

It’s time for the franchise to move forward in some fashion besides haphazard.

Watt has never won a playoff game. The Steelers defense has been shredded in the postseason during Watt’s tenure. That’s not necessarily Watt’s fault. But he’s on the field, too.

Since Watt joined the Steelers, they’re 1-11 when he doesn’t play. That’s often cited. It’s impressive testament to Watt’s worth. But it won’t necessarily carry forward. Not at Watt’s age.

Watt isn’t a Steelers legend. He’s a stats guy. Those stats will get Watt into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But they don’t make him Joe Greene or Troy Polamalu. Those guys have rings.

Unless they occur on third down, sacks don’t mean that much. With today’s high-tech offenses, yards are too easy to get back. You might hurt the quarterback, but Watt doesn’t.

This column is moot. Watt will get exactly what he wants, because Watt’s self-righteous anger is more than enough to scare an organization that gets softer all the time.

But it’s 100% the wrong move.

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