Though he wouldn’t address any specific contract negotiations Thursday in his meeting with the media, Pittsburgh Steelers’ GM Omar Khan made it pretty clear where he stands on standout defensive lineman Cameron Heyward in the midst of a contract dispute.
“I expect him to be here for years to come,” Khan said of Heyward when asked about the confidence a deal will get done, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page.
While Heyward stated after practice Thursday on Day 1 of training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe that he wasn’t going to get his hopes up one way or there other regarding a new deal with the Steelers, Khan’s comments regarding his team captain were pretty eye-opening.
Typically, Khan is reserved when it comes to comments about contract negotiations to the media, aiming not to give anything away one way or another. But his comments on Heyward were rather strong.
Khan believes, too, that Heyward has some good football ahead of him.
“I think Cam’s got a lot of football ahead of him still,” Khan added regarding Heyward.
Previously, Heyward stated he wanted to play three more seasons and wanted a new contract to be taken care of in the way he feels valued. While he wants to remain a one-helmet guy with the Steelers to cap off his career, Heyward has been open to going elsewhere.
Of course, that’s all part of the negotiation tactics in today’s NFL, where the player has a voice through the media, social media, and — in Heyward’s case — podcasts.
Heyward is entering the final year of a four-year extension he signed in 2020, paying him $16.4 million per season. He is still on the books for a $16 million base salary for the 2024 season and counts $22.4 million against the cap this season.
The All-Pro defensive lineman is coming off of an injury-filled season that saw him undergo core muscle surgery in September after suffering a torn groin early in the season-opener against San Francisco, making an injury he suffered in training camp worse. Ultimately, he landed on the shelf for six weeks.
To his credit, Heyward came back quickly, returning from a 12-week injury in six weeks. But when he was back on the field, he wasn’t himself due to limited mobility. He still had great power in his game, but he couldn’t move well. Still, his presence was huge.
But coming off the injury-filled season, media and fans have doubts regarding Heyward’s abilities not only in 2024 but also in the future. Heyward has pushed back on that all offseason and is back with a vengeance for the 2024 season.
Khan doesn’t share those beliefs, either. While he said the right thing to the media Thursday, money talks. We’ll see if Khan and the Steelers can reach an agreement with Heyward before the start of the season, keeping him from hitting free agency.
