In 2020, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed defensive tackle Cameron Heyward to a four-year contract extension, and at that time he was easily one of the top 10 interior defensive linemen in the NFL. With Heyward still under contract through the 2024 season, it’s probably not out of the question that he could sign yet another extension sometime next summer.
Since signing that contract extension in September 2020, Heyward has easily lived up to it. He has recorded 217 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 24.5 sacks, 59 quarterback hits, 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries in the 49 games that he has played in.
As you can see in the data table below, Heyward is currently the 16th-highest paid interior defensive lineman in the NFL. However, of the current top 20 highest paid interior defensive linemen, he is the only one to have a top-five ranking in several statistical categories since 2020, when he signed his last contract extension.
While Heyward is now 34 years of age, there’s been no signs of him slowing down and thus being overtaken by Father Time. He’s as durable as they come entering the 2023 season and the last game that he missed due to injury was way back in 2016. In short, should Heyward have another strong season in 2023, there’s no reason to think that he couldn’t be in line for yet another contract extension next summer.
In May 2022, Heyward discussed how much longer he could see himself playing during an interview on the Mina Kimes Show
“I want five more [years],” Heyward said to Kimes. “If I get five more…my wife might hate me by then, but five more.”
A full season has obviously passed since that interview with Kimes so with that, can Heyward play four more seasons? I don’t see why not.
Let’s assume Heyward stays healthy and productive in 2023 and thus indeed becomes a candidate for yet another contract extension next summer. What would that look like and how might it help the Steelers?
For starters, Heyward is scheduled to earn a base salary in 2024 of $16 million and carry a cap charge of $22,406,250. The Steelers could use some cap relief next summer and a Heyward extension would provide that.
What would be a fair new money average for Heyward next summer should indeed he and the Steelers be aiming for an extension? Obviously, his age and how he performs in 2023 would factor heavily into those talks. With no disrespect toward Heyward intended, I could see his new money average coming in at right around $20 million and maybe even as high as $22 million, depending on how he plays in 2023. Either way, it SHOULD result in him being back in the top-10 highest-paid interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
For the sake of this exploratory exercise, let’s roll with a new money average of $20 million and the extension being for two more years on top of 2024. With Heyward’s old money due at that point being $16 million, the outcome of an extension would be $56 million in total over the three years.
To entice Heyward to sign such a deal, it might take total cash earnings in 2024 of $23 million. That could be accomplished by giving Heyward a $21 million signing bonus and a new base salary in 2024 of $2 million. Such a structure would result in Heyward’s new 2024 cap charge being $15,406,250, a $7 million decrease from what it was originally scheduled to be.
As for the rest of the two-year extension layout, you can see it below, and I built it to include March roster bonuses in both 2025 and 2026. This particular contract extension structure would have Heyward earning $40 million in total for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. His cap charges in those final two years would be set at 24 million and $23 million, respectively.
Obviously, the two sides could do a four-year extension to help slightly ease the salary cap charges in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The extra two years, 2027 and 2028, could also have slightly inflated base salary numbers to help slightly increase his new money average ranking, if indeed he is worried about such a thing. Obviously, it would be highly unlikely that Heyward would play past the 2026 season.
So, what does this all mean as we sit here before the start of the Steelers’ 2023 training camp? Really, this post just serves as food for thought overall and something for everyone to keep in the back of their minds. Even so, don’t be surprised if Heyward signs a contract extension next offseason, especially if he has another great season in 2023. It very well could happen.
