The Pittsburgh Steelers were dealt a devastating blow in Week 1 of the 2023 season when Cameron Heyward suffered a groin injury. An injury to a player as critical as Heyward (who is not only a team captain, but also the glue of the defensive line), is especially painful.
Heyward missed several weeks as he had to undergo surgery to repair the muscle. During his absence, the team filtered several players in and out of the lineup, depending on the play called, to try to fill his shoes. Once he returned, he was clearly doing all he could, but wasn't functioning at 100%. He has since admitted that was the case. You know what they say, "Father Time is undefeated," and for the first time, fans saw Heyward's age of 34 starting to show.
The injury left fans wondering if Heyward would return to the team in 2024 or if he would choose to retire. He has said on his podcast that he has spent the offseason finally getting himself healthy and ready to return.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was recently asked about Heyward. Tomlin, along with the other NFL executives and coaches is in Orlando, Florida for the NFL Annual League Meeting. Steelers writer, Dale Lolley said on X, Tomlin isn't worried.
"Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said he doesn't anticipate Cam Heyward will be limited by the time training camp begins," posted Lolley.
Tomlin's confidence will be a relief for fans who adore Heyward and are hopeful he will return at full steam this season. Heyward became a fan favorite for his actions on and off the field. He was finally recognized for those actions, winning the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award back in February.
While many fans want Heyward to keep playing, hoping to get someone so deserving a Lombardi Trophy, others worry about his salary cap hit. Heyward's salary is $16 million, with a $22.4 million hit against the team's cap.
Steelers Need To Look To The Future
It is hard when the game's legends start to get older, especially one who has been as reliable as Heyward for his 13 seasons on the field. The reality is that Heyward is rapidly approaching retirement. His injury only served to spotlight that. As we watched players like Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk try to fill in for him, it clarified how hard it will be to replace him. Even Tomlin noted at the time that no one player could replace Heyward; it would take a group effort, and we would see different players depending on the down and distance.
Names were floated about in free agency as potential replacements, but the team will likely select a defensive tackle during the 2024 NFL Draft. This is somewhat concerning as the draft this year is stacked with far more offensive talent than defensive talent, which is often not the case.
Some solid young players exist, and it is not improbable that Tomin and General Manager Omar Khan will take one at some point. That group includes Byron Murphy out of Texas, Braden Fiske from Florida State, and Kris Jenkins out of Michigan. The Steelers could select one of these players to start learning behind Heyward before his eventual retirement.
Some players, like Heyward and T.J. Watt, give you a glimpse into the future to when they retire while they are out with an injury. It is not a pretty picture; they are not easily replaced.
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