As expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers are picking up the fifth-year option for the 2022 season on safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. The deadline for the team to make that decision this offseason was May 3.
Fitzpatrick, who has already made the Pro Bowl twice in his NFL career since the Miami Dolphins selected him 11th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, has a fifth-year option amount for the 2022 season of $10,612,000, fully guaranteed after the Steelers picked it up.
The Steelers picking up Fitzpatrick’s fifth-year option for 2022 certainly isn’t a surprising move. The former Alabama safety has played extremely well since the Steelers traded for him a few weeks into the 2019 season. That deal required the Steelers to give away their first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
In the 30 games that Fitzpatrick has played for the Steelers, he has registered nine interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also has three fumble recoveries and even returned one of those for a touchdown. He has logged nine defensed passes since becoming a member of the Steelers, to go along with 79 total tackles.
With Fitzpatrick’s fifth-year option now exercised, he’ll likely be in line for a contract extension sometime next summer.
We are still waiting to hear if the Steelers have decided to pick up the fifth-year option on fellow safety Terrell Edmunds.
Edmunds, selected 28th by the Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft, has yet to make any Pro Bowls. He has, however, hit the playtime thresholds needed to qualify for the third category of fifth-year option salaries for the 2022 season.
Edmunds’ fifth-year option amount is for $6,753,000 if exercised by the Steelers before May 3. If exercised, his fifth-year option is fully guaranteed, as well. Additionally, Edmunds’ 2021 base salary of $1,938,789 will also become fully guaranteed should the Steelers decide to pick up his fifth-year option by May 3.
