Not surprisingly, the Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to exercise their fifth-year option on linebacker Ryan Shazier, according to Albert Breer.
According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Shazier’s fifth-year option amount for the 2018 season will be $8.718 million and that amount is the average of the third- through 25th-highest salaries at his position being as he was selected outside of the top 10 in 2014. The Steelers had until May 3rd to exercise his fifth-year option as that is this year’s deadline to do so.
Shazier, who was drafted 15th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, has missed 14 regular season games so far during his career with various injuries. Last year, however, he played in 10 straight regular season games and all three playoff contest after missing three games early in the season with a knee injury.
Shazier finished the 2016 regular season with 87 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions and 9 total passes defensed and he also registered two interceptions during the playoffs for the Steelers to go along with 18 total tackles.
Now that Shazier has had his fifth-year option picked up the Steelers will more than likely look to sign him to a long-term extension ahead of the start of the 2018 regular season and thus there’s plenty of time now to worry about that eventually getting done.
