With the Pittsburgh Steelers currently winding down their annual OTA practices, I thought that today would be a great time to drop some of my thoughts on several different hot topics related to the team all in one post. So, here they are, and in no particular order
Heyward Happenings
Steelers veteran DT Cameron Heyward shocked a lot of people by showing up for the third and final week of OTAs on Tuesday despite not yet getting a new contract. That was good to see, and it’s obvious that he loves being back around his teammates.
So, what’s next for Heyward? Well, obviously, he’s yet to get a new deal, and while there appears to have been talks so far, it might be a little while until we know the final outcome. Personally, I will be shocked if Heyward doesn’t sign a two-year extension by the start of the 2024 regular season. That said, such an extension sure seems like it might end up being one with no new money in 2024, with two slightly above-modest base salaries included for 2025 and 2026. I doubt he gets any fully guaranteed money past 2024 as well, but we’ll see.
Should Heyward not have a new deal in place by the start of training camp, don’t be surprised if he conducts one of those newfangled hold-ins. I won’t blame him if he does. Business is business, after all, and he will take care of his as he sees fit.
In the meantime, just be thankful that the Steelers have their defensive captain back for some of the final week of OTA practices and potentially all of the mandatory minicamp as well.
WR Market Gone Wild
Wide receivers are certainly getting paid around the NFL this offseason, and it’s wild to see. So many new contracts are being given out, and by the start of the 2024 regular season, we could wind up with close to ten wide receivers having new money averages of $30 million or more.
On Tuesday, San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan was asked to give his thoughts on the exploding wide receiver market this offseason.
“Yeah, I mean, it happens,” said Shanahan. “We’ve seen it with quarterbacks. You’re seeing it right now with wideouts. It’s happened with D-linemen. It’s just part of it.”
Obviously, the Steelers won’t need to do anything with the contract of WR George Pickens this offseason as he’s not eligible for a new deal yet with only two years under his belt so far. Even so, it will be interesting to see what kind of market value Pickens can establish for himself in 2024. We could get to a point with Pickens that a new money average of $23 million is the extreme low floor for him. Maybe even a laughable low floor at that.
Perhaps the most interesting thing when it comes to a potential new contract for Pickens next offseason is the fully guaranteed money aspect of it. Unless he resets the top of the wide receiver market, it’s hard to imagine him getting fully guaranteed money past the 2025 season from the Steelers. If indeed that’s the case, that might not sit too well with his side.
In the meantime, when it comes to Pickens, I look forward to seeing what kind of 2024 season he can put together, especially if the Steelers don’t add to their wide receiver room in a grand fashion moving forward into the summer.
About That WR Trade Speculation
Look, I would like to see the Steelers add another wide receiver via a trade as much as most of you likely would. That said, it sure doesn’t seem like that will come to fruition and at least not in the month of June.
As I posted on Monday, the NFL doesn’t have a huge history when it comes to June trades over the course of the last 15 years. And of those trades that did occur in June over the last 15 years, most of them aren’t memorable at all. June seems to be more of a month that teams sit on their hands as they evaluate their offseason rosters through mandatory minicamps.
I also feel like I need to remind everyone that a trade for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk wouldn’t likely be the most shocking news. What would be shocking would be the Steelers turning right around and making Aiyuk the team’s highest-paid player on their roster.
As the wide receiver market sits currently, Aiyuk seems destined to require a new money average greater than what Steelers OLB T. J. Watt has, and that’s $28,002,750. Even if Aiyuk’s number comes in slightly lower than Watt’s, he would be the second-highest-paid player on the Steelers and thus ahead of S Minkah Fitzpatrick. In closing, I will need to see the Steelers break such a precedent before I actually believe it.
As for other wide receivers the Steelers could trade for that might move the proverbial needle, 49ers WR Deebo Samuel, Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf, and Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton, I’m really starting to get a firm sense that all three wind up staying put with their current teams. We’ll see if Sutton shows up for Denver’s mandatory minicamp. Of those three wide receivers, Sutton, in my opinion, is the likeliest one to be dealt for. Don’t hold your speculating breath waiting for that to happen, however. At least not during the month of June.
Mr. Wilson Is Mr. Steeler
I certainly don’t know how things will ultimately play out for new Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson in 2024. That said, he seems to have been a model Steeler up until this point.
Wilson, in my opinion, has said and done all of the right things since he was signed to a one-year contract several months ago. His comments on Heyward skipping the start of OTAs and the team possibly having some sort of package for fellow new QB Justin Fields were as good as they get.
Since arriving in town, Wilson’s watched the Pittsburgh Pirates play, presented a jersey at the Zac Brown Band concert, went to Kennywood with his family on team-building Monday and he’s constantly seen wearing Steelers gear wherever he goes. There are a lot of things I did not list as well. Is that going way above and beyond and really unusual at its core? Absolutely not. That said, he’s honestly doing everything he can to immerse himself into the team and culture.
Yes, I get that some fans think that Wilson might be a bit on the corny side with his actions, but it really doesn’t bother me. Wilson is a “been there, done that” kind of player. I honestly believe that he’s all in on the 2024 Steelers ultimately making a Super Bowl run. We’ll now wait and see how he plays on the field.
That Other Mr. Wilson On The Other Side Of The Football
I don’t know about most of you, but of this year’s Steelers rookie draft class, I think I’m most excited about ILB Payton Wilson. This kid can really play, and if not for the scares about his injury history, he might just have been picked in the first round by a team.
I have no doubt that Payton Wilson will quickly learn the defense and make an immediate impact on special teams. He also might be able to carve himself out some sort of sub-package role early during the 2024 season. Later in the season, this Wilson on the defensive side of the football might just find himself seeing a lot of playing time next to new ILB Patrick Queen.
Look, Payton Wilson was selected late in the third round, so that really minimizes the risk associated with him. He was certainly worth that 98th-overall dart throw if you will. Just imagine if he winds up staying healthy and playing like he did at times at North Carolina State. If that happens, Queen and Wilson could become quite the inside linebacker duo in Pittsburgh for the next several years. That’s exciting to think about.
