To little surprise, Steelers veteran defensive lineman, Cam Heyward will be back for his 13th season. Just a month ago, he addressed the rumor that he would be back. After he saw more of the same early in the week, he addressed it again on his podcast, Not Just Football. Heyward will be 34 years old at the start of the 2023 campaign, but recent trends suggest that won't slow him down.
The veteran had yet another phenomenal season in 2022, which included 10.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 23 quarterback hits. Those numbers earned him his sixth career Pro Bowl appearance, although he was still seemingly a bit slept on. It’s quite a big sigh of relief for the front office, as a sudden retirement would have sent them into scramble mode. The defensive line is already seen as a position of need, but without Heyward, that would head to the top of the priority list immediately. Heyward officially announced his return on his podcast:
There were rumors about Heyward potentially retiring after 12 phenomenal years in Pittsburgh, but those proved to have no substance. On Tuesday, one account even joked that Heyward retired on NFL Madden 23 . It led to some speculation, which Heyward obviously saw as he quoted the tweet. With Larry Ogunjobi and a few other veteran linemen hitting free agency, Heyward's return was a must.
It's what seemingly makes re-signing Ogunjobi one of the front office's main priorities, as the defense needs him. As of now, DeMarvin Leal is the only other active lineman on the roster that figures to have a huge role on the team in 2023. Again, Heyward's return was expected, but it's refreshing to hear that he will officially be back. The last thing the defense needed was an early retirement from Heyward, like Stephon Tuitt's just a few years ago.
How big of a loss would Heyward have been along the DL? How big of a need do you think the DL position is? Who do you want to see the team target in free agency and/or the 2023 NFL Draft?
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