Pittsburgh Steelers veteran inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons is under contract with the team through the 2016 season and as you would likely expect, it sounds like he’s very open to getting an extension done next offseason.
“I’ve been here for nine years, I’ve got a house here, I’d like to keep that house,” Timmons said Thursday after practice, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. “I’ve got a family here that loves it.”
While the Steelers don’t appear to be in need of any additional salary cap space this season, they might could use some extra space in 2016 depending on how things shake out later on this summer. Timmons, who made his first Pro Bowl last season after registering 132 total tackles and two sacks, is currently scheduled to count just over $11.8 million against the cap in 2016. It should be noted, however, that just over $3 million of that amount is a result of the Steelers restructuring his contract a few times since he signed his six-year, $50 million deal in 2011. His scheduled base salary in 2016 is $8.75 million.
Timmons will turn 30 next offseason, so how he plays this upcoming season will likely go a long way in determining whether or not he’ll be extended heading into 2016. The Steelers have third-year linebacker Vince Williams currently backing Timmons up at the buck position, so they might just choose to let Timmons play out his current deal, instead of signing him to another long term deal.
Should they need to, the Steelers could always go the route of the franchise or transition tag with Timmons after the 2016 season is over.
Timmons has only missed two regular-season games during his career with the Steelers since being drafted in the first-round of the 2007 NFL Draft out of Florida State. Both games that he missed came during the 2009 season.
