Can the Steelers get all of their contract extension candidates signed?
The Steelers entered the offseason with five players with whom they wanted to complete contract extensions, completing three. That list includes two that were far from guaranteed, and there is one yet that simply must happen. In essence, that leaves one deal left whose status is in question.
That would be Keeanu Benton, the fourth-year defensive tackle. He’s coming off his best season, but what sort of contract extension is he worth to the Steelers? That could depend on his role—and how long it takes Cam Heyward to retire. Some even seem to believe he might be more of a backup player this year, though that’s…wrong.
Aside from Benton, the other outstanding candidate for a contract extension for the Steelers is Joey Porter Jr. He is their top cornerback, and there is no plausible scenario in which they don’t lock him up. it might take time, and they may even have to overpay, but this is the sort of contract you don’t fumble.
So far, the Steelers have already signed Chris Boswell, Nick Herbig, and Darnell Washington to contract extensions. Boswell was another easy call, a Pro Bowl kicker, which isn’t a dime a dozen. While they like Darnell Washington, his status as primarily a blocking tight end raises questions of value. They answered that question by, essentially, resetting the blocking tight end market.
Then there’s Nick Herbig, who is in something of a gray area. In theory, the Steelers already have two starters at his position, so figuring out a contract extension could have gotten complicated. One suspects his desire to remain with the team helped bring this contract to the finish line. But, he also cashes in a year early, which provides much-needed security. After all, he watched his brother’s career essentially end after an injury.
At some point, the Steelers will sign Joey Porter, but do they have two contract extensions left on the books? There really has been no credible gauge in terms of how they’re approaching Keeanu Benton. You may have seen one loose report or two, but nothing substantial. At the right price, I’m sure they would be happy to keep him around, but what is the right price for both sides?
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin resigning.
We’re already deep into the offseason, with free agency and the draft already reshaping rosters. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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