The Pittsburgh Steelers have more than month to go before they need to decide whether or not to pick up the fifth-year option on linebacker Jarvis Jones, but as of right now, the organization has not made a decision as to whether or not that will ultimately happen.
“No decision has been made. I think the date is May 4, but no decision has been made,” said Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert on Sunday ahead of the league’s annual meetings getting underway in Boca Raton, Florida, according to Bob Labriola.
Should they ultimately decide to pick Jones’ fifth-year option up, it will likely come with a 2017 salary in excess of $8 million as the amount last year for outside linebackers was $7.8 million. While such an option for Jones would not be fully guaranteed until the start of the 2017 league year, it would be guaranteed if he’s injured prior to then and unable to play next season.
Jones certainly hasn’t lived up to his first-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft as of yet as he’s only recorded 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception in the 36 regular-season games that he’s played in so far. Jones, however, did record a key sack and a forced fumble in the Steelers Wild Card playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals this past season.
Last offseason, the Steelers picked up the fifth-year option on guard David DeCastro on April 9th and in 2014 they picked up the fifth-year option on defensive end Cameron Heyward on April 22nd.
Should the Steelers ultimately decide not to pick up Jones’ fifth-year option, he would become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
