After Mike Tomlin, will the Steelers sign any players to extensions this offseason?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have already made some huge decisions this offseason. Arguably, yesterday’s marked the completion of the biggest yet with the three-year contract extension for Mike Tomlin. The Steelers sure love their hierarchical stability, and this deal provides it for them. But what kind of stability will we find on the roster?
The Steelers have a huge number of players who are currently in the final year of their contracts. We know that list includes many big names, old and new alike, but will any of them sign an extension? And which of them are more likely than the others?
The name that comes up most often as a likely Steelers extension candidate is TE Pat Freiermuth. He is in the final year of his rookie contract and has both past production and future potential. But how much are you willing to sign him for based on that potential when he can bet on himself? Many expect that he will have a big year under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Then there is the matter of Cameron Heyward, who has made it very clear that he wants a new contract. The last time he played football while healthy, he still looked darn good. But he is 35 years old and coming off a significant injury. We know the story already. Is this extension territory or a no-go zone for the Steelers, and if the former, at what price?
There are many other names to consider. It doesn’t sound like they plan to talk to James Daniels about an extension. What about Najee Harris, after turning down his fifth-year option? Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are on one-year deals. Gerry Dulac seems to think that the Steelers sign Fields to an extension before the season starts.
We do start running out of names after that, but you can at least give a thought to Jaylen Warren. Donte Jackson already agreed to take a pay cut, so would he sign an extension? The Steelers don’t otherwise have a viable candidate for beyond the 2024 season without him.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wild Card Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
