It’s been no secret Cam Heyward wants a long-term deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He wants to be with the Steelers for the rest of his career. Still, yesterday’s report that he plans to skip OTAs is notable and a common approach from players who want paid. Young, old, position group, these decisions and camp “hold-ins,” at practice but not participating, have replaced holdouts. Heyward is likely to do the same during mandatory minicamp. We’ll see what happens when training camp rolls around if he’s still without a deal.
I get the concern. He’s 35. He’s old. Hurt all of last year. Even acknowledging that, the Steelers should absolutely extend him.
That doesn’t mean writing a blank check. Or putting themselves in an especially risky position. Not that the Steelers often do with their contract structure anyway. This isn’t going to be some crazy fully guaranteed contract. As Dave Bryan noted, the deal might not offer guarantees past the first year. Pittsburgh’s rule has been for quarterbacks only. Their exceptions have been for No. 1 market deals, like what T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick received. Heyward’s deal won’t reset the market and salary beyond this year might not be guaranteed. With a rising cap, any potential dead money would be minimized and something the team could absorb, as it has done many times before.
But all this circles back to the question – is he worth it? There’s no “lifetime achievement” award in a contract. You get it for what you can do, not what you’ve done. The answer is yes. Heyward’s still worth it.
Even on one leg last year, not 100 percent from his groin injury that he pushed himself – probably too hard – to return from, Heyward was the team’s best defensive lineman. With him back, their run defense snapped back to form. If you care about Pro Football Focus grades, he was second-best on the line, only trailing Armon Watts. From Weeks 1-8, the Steelers’ run defense ranked 23rd in yards allowed and 27th in yards per carry. The rest of the season, they were 12th in yards allowed and 11th in yards per carry.
With no juice in his legs or the ability to run, he struggled as a pass rusher but still finished with a pair of sacks, one more than rookie Keeanu Benton and one less than Larry Ogunjobi. Heyward’s best asset, his brute strength, is still there. So long as he has that, he can play in the league.
Heyward’s groin tear isn’t a long-term concern. These aren’t Ben Roethlisberger’s knees, withering away from scar tissue and arthritis after years of surgeries and hits. There’s no evidence Heyward is at risk for re-injury now that he’s fully healed. And he’s been remarkably durable and available throughout his career, only suffering that groin tear and a biceps tear in 2016. None of which speaks to him getting hurt again. Could it happen? Sure. But it won’t be related to anything he’s dealt with before.
There is typically a decline in production once defensive tackles get past age 35. We’ve written about it before. But it doesn’t mean they can’t produce and hold their own. Calais Campbell ran strong at age 37, recording 6.5 sacks last season for the Falcons. Kyle Williams had five sacks and made a Pro Bowl when he was 35. John Randle recorded 12.5 sacks over his age-35 and 36 seasons, and Alan Page nearly hit double-digits at 35 and 36. Those are some big-time names on the list, but Heyward is a borderline Hall of Famer. He can do what most his age can’t.
The Steelers have boxed themselves into a corner. They drafted Heyward before Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel retired, creating a succession plan before it was absolutely needed. It kept Heyward on the bench his first two seasons before he became a full-time starter. A move that was questioned at the time but proved to be the right one. Fast forward to today and the Steelers don’t have Heyward’s replacement or even a theoretical option. Keeanu Benton is playing nose tackle and at end, there are backups and rotational pieces. If 2024 was Heyward’s last year with Pittsburgh, there’s no replacement for 2025. Not to mention the meter is running on Larry Ogunjobi, signed through 2025 but potentially done after ’24 if he can’t have a solid season.
Heyward has meant everything to Pittsburgh. On and off the field. Despite public comments about reducing his workload, the Steelers have pushed him as hard as they could every year, getting every snap possible out of him. Though he wasn’t anywhere near full health last year, he played at least 75 percent of the defensive snaps in six of his final nine games. Even at 60 percent, he was their best option.
Pittsburgh’s had messy partings with veterans before. Troy Polamalu and Ben Roethlisberger retired when they probably weren’t ready to hang up their cleats. But Polamalu had a lengthier injury history than Heyward, and his violent playing style wasn’t going to hold up. Roethlisberger’s game was in obvious decline, and he was four years older than Heyward. These aren’t the same situations.
Heyward wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh and wants to know the Steelers feel the same way. Instead of going into a contract year and thinking about free agency for the first time in his career. The potential of moving him and his family for his final NFL seasons.
None of this would matter if his play wasn’t worth it. But there’s no reason to believe he’s a step from falling off the cliff. Pay good players is the Steelers’ mantra. Heyward is a good player.
Every contract comes with risk. Heyward’s would, too. But the consequences aren’t tremendously high if Heyward only has two more good years left. A two-year extension through 2026 is a win for both sides. Heyward is under contract for what would almost certainly be the rest of his career, the Steelers retain a talented player and heart of the defense, and likely have outs in the deal in ’26 if Heyward’s regression kicks in. Which might not mean a cut but a prayer meeting a la Polamalu or Roethlisberger where the team convinces Heyward it’s best to retire now, be celebrated and revered, rather than trying to spend one year in Arizona squeezing out a couple hundred final NFL snaps.
From my online viewpoint, there’s been a strong stance against Heyward. That he’s old, should retire, should be cut or traded. I’m not in that camp. I’m not in the same hemisphere. There will be a day where Heyward won’t be the dominant player he’s proven to be. But that day isn’t upon us. And the Steelers shouldn’t be the team that pushes him out the door.
