Would Cameron Heyward really play for another AFC North team?
As he maneuvers for a contract extension, Pittsburgh Steelers DL Cameron Heyward hinted at the possibility of playing elsewhere soon. Entering the final year of his contract, he could be an unrestricted free agent in 2025 for the first time. And let’s face it, if the Steelers allow him to hit free agency, they may not want to re-sign him.
Heyward is 35 years old and coming off a major injury that limited him last season. He is already making $16 million this year, rare territory for players his age. Heyward is a rare player, of course, and he’ll be the first one to tell you. After all, the last time he was healthy, he had one of his best seasons in 2022. That’s not exactly ancient history. I can still watch that in 1080p resolution.
Let’s say Heyward has a strong season in 2024, even if unspectacular by his standards. The Steelers don’t feel comfortable paying him eight figures, and so he tests free agency. And there he finds a market—inside the AFC North. The Cleveland Browns want to lure him away, and they present him with the best offer he’s going to see. By a good margin, perhaps. Does he sign on the dotted line?
Make no mistake, Cameron Heyward is a Steeler through and through. He has already given 13 years of his life to this organization. He is the only player on this roster who was already in the league when I started at Steelers Depot.
But Heyward is also a businessman. Let’s say it’s not even the Browns. It’s the Cincinnati Bengals or the Baltimore Ravens. Either team arguably gives him a better chance to win the Super Bowl than remaining in Pittsburgh. That’s the last thing on his football bucket list.
How deeply does Heyward’s loyalty to the Steelers rest in his heart? After all, he has played with plenty of guys who have come from other AFC North teams. Larry Ogunjobi has played for both the Browns and Bengals. Patrick Queen just came over from the Raven, and DeShon Elliott is another former Raven. When the Steelers traded for Chris Wormley, he admitted he was always a Steelers fan. Would it be so bad to play with Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, and Derrick Henry? I mean, purple isn’t such an ugly color. Right, Cam?
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 Wildcard 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.
