Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has made clear he wants a new contract, but unless the Steelers get it completed before the season starts, it won’t happen this year. The Steelers have a hard and fast no-negotiations-during-the-season policy.
General Manager Omar Khan recently confirmed during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan that the Steelers will cease all contract talks once the season starts.
That means James Daniels, Justin Fields, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris and Russell Wilson, among the team’s scheduled free agents in 2025, also will not get new deals until after the season unless they get it in the next 2 1/2 months.
“I think it’s an awesome policy,” Khan said on the radio, via SI.com. “That policy predates even before Kevin [Colbert] and I got here. Once we get into the season, I’m a believer it should be all focused on football. Obviously, there’s a business aspect to this, and that’s OK. That’s just part of it. But once we get into the season, it’s to focus on the season.”
It would be a gamble for the Steelers to extend the contract of Fields or Wilson now, but it’s also a gamble for the Steelers to decide before the season starts that they won’t negotiate with either of them during the season. What if one of them plays himself into a contract extension? The price is only going to go up after the season.
“From my standpoint, I can just tell you I’m more worried about the quarterback for this year,” Khan said. “The rest of it will take shape after the season.”
Heyward skipped the voluntary part of the offseason program as he enters the final year of his deal. He wants an extension on a contract that pays $16 million this year, and the clock is ticking.
