Most Pittsburgh Steelers contract extension talk has focused on their 2023 NFL Draft class. With good reason. The Steelers have several worthy candidates in CB Joey Porter Jr., TE Darnell Washington, NT Keeanu Benton, and EDGE Nick Herbig. The PPG’s Gerry Dulac expects Pittsburgh’s first offseason deal to be none of those names.
Kicker Chris Boswell is first on the team’s list.
“And that list doesn’t include kicker Chris Boswell, who would appear to be first in line to get a contract extension,” Dulac wrote in a Wednesday article after rattling off the ’23 draft class.
Dulac later noted that Boswell’s extension “might be the most imminent.”
Boswell’s situation brings the best of both worlds. A relatively inexpensive deal and one that stirs little debate. Boswell might walk away as the league’s highest-paid kicker, but his contract will be small compared to the $100 million contract Porter could command or the $20 million-per year market Nick Herbig is likely pushing for. Those deals can take more time to finalize.
Unlike Benton, there’s no debate about Boswell’s value to the team. One of the NFL’s best kickers, Boswell has been excellent in Pittsburgh with a big leg and consistent accuracy. His 2025 season wasn’t as strong as his 2024 All-Pro campaign, and he had an almost costly miss against the Baltimore Ravens, but he still finished the year making 84 percent of his kicks and went 9-of-11 from long range.
Since 2021, Boswell’s made 153 field goals. Only Daniel Carlson (156) has more. Boswell’s 43 makes of 50-plus yards take the NFL’s top spot, and he is the only one with at least 40.
The kicker market received clarity after Dallas inked Brandon Aubrey to a deal that averaged out to $7 million per season and made him the league’s highest-paid leg. Boswell’s aim will be to top that figure. Pittsburgh may try to get Boswell for a little bit cheaper, but Aubrey having his deal complete takes plenty guesswork or waiting to see the terms of the contract.
It’s reasonable to think Pittsburgh will get Boswell’s deal done sooner than later. The sooner his contract situation is resolved, the quicker Omar Khan, Cole Marcoux, and company can turn their attention to the 2023 class and get one or two more agreements before the team’s self-imposed regular-season deadline.
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