The Pittsburgh Steelers are now into the offseason, following a year in which they had high hopes for Super Bowl success, but ultimately fell short of even reaching the postseason at 8-8. It was a tumultuous season, both on the field and within the roster, and the months to follow figure to have some drama as well, especially in light of the team’s failure to improve upon the year before.
The team made some bold moves over the course of the past year, and some areas of the roster look quite a bit different than they did a year ago, or even at the start of the regular season. Whether due to injuries or otherwise, a lot has transpired, and we’re left to wonder how much more will change prior to September.
How will Ben Roethlisberger’s rehab progress as he winds toward recovery from an elbow injury that cost him almost the entire season? What about some of the key young players, some of whom have already impressed, others still needing quite a bit of growth? Will there be changes to the coaching staff? The front office? Who will they not retain in free agency, and whom might they bring in?
These are the sorts of questions among many others that we have been exploring on a daily basis and will continue to do so. Football has become a year-round pastime and there is always a question to be asked, though there is rarely a concrete answer, as I’ve learned in my years of doing this.
Question: Is any position other than quarterback worth a 10-year investment risk?
I would be surprised if anyone here is unfamiliar with the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes recently agreed to a 10-year contract extension, a rather rare commodity that has only happened a few times in NFL history. It’s been a while since the last time.
Mahomes, of course, has an MVP and a Super Bowl title within his first three seasons, and in his first two years as a starter. In his first year as a starter, he lost an overtime playoff game in which he didn’t get an opportunity to field the ball in extra time.
Generally speaking, many commentators have said that they believe the Chiefs did well on this deal, which could pay Mahomes over $500 million (including a limited number of incentives), but that hinges largely on the assumption that he continues to be a great quarterback, of course, and, well, a lot of things can happen in a decade.
The great quarterbacks are now liable to play into their 40s at a high level, if not a very high level, so it makes sense to lock in a young quarterback early if you believe he is the future. But should teams potentially be open to similar deals with other positions? What about a wide receiver? Offensive tackles? Defensive tackles? Some of these positions can comfortably play into their mid-30s as well.
