Steelers, star defensive player finally reach contract solution

Heyward just signed a new three-year contract extension with the Steelers prior to the 2024 season, but following an All-Pro season he was not happy with the financial terms of it and wanted to be paid more in line with the top defensive tackles in the NFL this season. 

It is very unheard of for the Steelers to re-work a contract with two years still remaining on it, but Heyward is the longest-tenured member of the team, a captain and a standout player. They were obviously willing to make an exception for him, even if the situation dragged out until the very last minute. 

The only thing that made the entire saga so confusing is if Heyward hated the terms of the deal so much, it did not make any sense for him to sign a new three-year deal. He said earlier this preseason that when he signed the original contract that he told the Steelers when he had an All-Pro year he was going to come back looking to negotiate. If he wanted to bet on himself and give himself some real leverage, signing a one-year deal, or just playing out his previous contract, would have made far more sense. He put himself into a tough situation and had to deal with the saga that followed, while also hurting himself from a PR standpoint in the eyes of Steelers fans. All of that can be forgotten now that he has a new deal and is ready to play.

The Steelers need Heyward

Not only is Heyward one of the Steelers' best and most important players, he also plays a position where they are thin with quality depth and are trying to improve. 

They used their first-round pick on defensive lineman Derrick Harmon from Oregon, but he is sidelined for a couple of weeks to open the season following an injury (knee) in a preseason game. If they would have gone into the season without Heyward and Harmon it would have put added pressure on Keeanu Benton and the rest of the depth players along the line. Especially against a Jets team that wants to run the ball. 

Now they do not have to worry about that, and will soon have Harmon back in the lineup as well. That will significantly improve the defensive line.