Category: NFL Football

Omar Khan speaks about the future of Cameron Heyward in Pittsburgh

Cameron Heyward has long been the captain of the Steelers defense. The six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro is currently on track to be a free agent after the 2024 season.

Omar Khan was asked about Heyward’s future with the team today. Ashley Kaiser of JET24 Action Sports – FOX66 Sports shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) of his response:

This is great to hear from Khan, but it means nothing until ink hits paper. Heyward means so much to the defense and it would be a major loss if the Steelers fail to retain him. Even beyond his impact on the field, Heyward is a leader and teacher on the team. Even more than that is Heyward’s role in continuing to build the culture in Pittsburgh after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement following the 2021 NFL season.

Team culture is not talked about enough when it comes to NFL teams. The Super Bowl teams of 2005 and 2008 were built around a culture that everyone bought into. The Steelers need veterans like Heyward to set the tone and influence the younger players to buy into the team’s vision.

Heyward himself believes he is important to this team in more ways than just production. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette shared Heyward’s response to whether or not he is confident in a contract extension:

Leaders — true leaders — are hard to come by. They not only have to have the respect of others, but they must carry themselves in a certain manner both on and off the field. Heyward’s resume more than speaks for himself. Hopefully, the Steelers and Heyward can come together to find some middle ground and continue this mutually beneficial relationship through the end of his career.

Broderick Jones will be starting somewhere in 2024 but the Steelers have not told him which side of the line

Broderick Jones enters 2024 ready to take the next step in his young career. The 2023 first-round pick has been a talking point this offseason. Fans have been unsure on whether or not he will be the left tackle in week 1 or if it could be Dan Moore. Today on X (formerly Twitter), Nick Farabaugh of PennLive shared what he learned from Jones today:

This is not too surprising considering that where Jones starts will likely come down to whether or not the Steelers see Troy Fautanu as NFL-ready in week 1. If the Steelers believe that Jones and Fautanu are the best two offensive tackles, Jones will start at left tackle and Fautanu will debut at right tackle. If Jones and Moore are the best two offensive tackles, Jones will be starting at right tackle with Moore returning to the position he has held since his rookie season at left tackle.

A common misconception with the term “swing tackle” is that it is a label for an offensive tackle who can step in as a backup to both the left tackle and right tackle positions. That can be the case but it also can mean a starting offensive tackle who offers flexibility in the position that they start in. The Steelers will have all of camp and the preseason to decide what the best combination of starters is on the offensive line. Jones may end up starting the season at right tackle, but the Steelers traded up for him in 2023 and drafted Fautanu first in 2024 for a reason. They foresee an offensive with their two young offensive tackles as bookends.

After four seasons in Buffalo, Tyler Matakevich is coming back to where his NFL journey began. The Steelers announced a reunion with the veteran linebacker Wednesday. It is a one-year deal.

Role players regularly land deals with teams around the time training camps start, and Matakevich having played four seasons in Pittsburgh stands to help his cause when it comes to landing on the team’s 53-man roster (or 16-man practice squad). The Steelers drafted Matakevich in the 2016 seventh round. This marks the second straight year he has signed a one-year contract.

Matakevich, 31, returns to a team that has made major changes at linebacker since he was last in town. The team’s GM (Omar Khan) and DC (Teryl Austin) have changed as well, though Mike Tomlin is going into his 18th season as the team’s head coach. Pittsburgh signed Patrick Queen this offseason and returns 2023 free agency pickup Elandon Roberts. Cole Holcomb, however, is still recovering from the serious knee injury he suffered last November. The Steelers have not re-signed 2023 starter Kwon Alexander, either, though they did draft NC State’s Payton Wilson in Round 3.

A starting role should not be considered likely for Matakevich, who has made his NFL living on special teams. The Temple alum has started one game in eight seasons, but he has missed just two career contests and lined up as an ST regular throughout. Matakevich has hit the 80% snap rate on special teams three times, including in 2021 and 2023 with the Bills.

In 17 games last season, Matakevich played just 16 defensive snaps. But he has not dipped below the 75% ST snap rate since 2018. The ninth-year vet seems a good bet to avoid the practice squad, having been an active-roster player throughout his career. The Steelers would have that option, however, though they could also have a roster spot due to a Holcomb placement on the reserve/PUP list. With the 2023 UFA’s availability for the season in doubt, a spot does appear open. To make room on their 90-man roster, the Steelers waived safety Jalen Elliott.

As veteran report dates for training camps near, NFL payrolls are largely set. Extension- and trade-related matters remain, but as far as high cap numbers go, the list will not change much between now and Week 1. After we ran down the top cap charges on the offensive side of the ball last week, here are the highest 2024 figures tied to defenders:

1. Maxx Crosby, EDGE (Raiders): $30.48MM
2. T.J. Watt, EDGE (Steelers): $30.42MM
3. Kenny Clark, DL (Packers): $27.49MM
4. Joey Bosa, EDGE (Chargers): $26.11MM
5. Khalil Mack, EDGE (Chargers): $25.39MM
6. Montez Sweat, EDGE (Bears): $25.09MM
7. Harold Landry, EDGE (Titans): $23.8MM
8. Jaire Alexander, CB (Packers): $23.49MM
9. Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $22.88MM
10. Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Bears): $22.44MM
11. Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.41MM
12. Jeffery Simmons, DL (Titans): $21.65MM
13. Daron Payne, DL (Commanders): $21.61MM
14. Jonathan Allen, DL (Commanders): $21.44MM
15. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Steelers): $21.36MM
16. Vita Vea, DL (Buccaneers): $20.97MM
17. DeMarcus Lawrence, EDGE (Cowboys): $20.46MM
18. Quinnen Williams, DL (Jets): $20.4MM
19. Grady Jarrett, DL (Falcons): $20.38MM
20. Myles Garrett, EDGE (Browns): $20.17MM
21. Trey Hendrickson, EDGE (Bengals): $20.17MM
22. Derwin James, S (Chargers): $19.86MM
23. Budda Baker, S (Cardinals): $19.03MM
24. Charvarius Ward, CB (49ers): $18.4MM
25. Marcus Williams, S (Ravens): $18.03MM

While a handful of quarterbacks are set to break the single-player record for cap hit — after this offseason’s $30.6MM cap spike — this year’s defensive hits do not check in on that level. Crosby and Watt are at $30MM, but those numbers do not match last year’s top defender cap hit — attached to then-Giants D-lineman Leonard Williams ($32.26MM). With Aaron Donald now in the dead money category following his retirement and Chris Jones extended, some new faces have climbed toward the top of this list.

The Raiders gave Crosby a $6MM 2024 pay bump to reward a former Day 3 pick who has unlocked another level while attached to an extension signed in 2022. Rather than greenlight a new deal for their top defender, the Raiders moved money around on his through-2026 extension to accommodate a rising market. This season now marks the highest cap hit on this Crosby contract.

Although the Chargers worked out pay-cut agreements with Bosa and Mack, both edge rushers are still among the most expensive — cap-wise — players in the league. The March reductions, however, moved Bosa’s cap number down from $36.6MM and lowered Mack’s from $38.5MM. With James tied to the second-highest 2024 safety figure, Jim Harbaugh‘s team — while clearing out costs on offense — remains among the top defensive spenders.

Two years remain on Watt’s deal, which has paid out its guaranteed money. With Nick Bosa having secured a defender-record extension and lower-production players — compared to Watt, at least — Brian Burns and Josh Allen surpassing the future Hall of Famer’s 2021 extension, a third Steelers-Watt agreement will likely be rumored soon. Heyward has expressed interest in a fourth Steelers contract, which would reduce his lofty cap figure, but the accomplished veteran has not heard much from the team’s side on this matter.

The Packers have begun talks with Clark on what would be a third extension. His current $17.5MM-per-year contract has fallen to 15th among active D-linemen. A new deal would update that figure for a reliable starter while reducing his 2024 cap hit. Despite rumors about the Pack separating from Alexander coming out in December, GM Brian Gutekunst shot down any such move associated with the league’s highest-paid corner.

Baker requested a trade last year, eyeing a deal closer to the James-Fitzpatrick level. The longtime Cardinal DB is in the final year of an extension agreed to back in 2020. Although the Cardinals are rebuilding, Baker has remained part of Jonathan Gannon‘s team. He expressed hope to stay in Arizona beyond 2024, and the Cardinals have the contract-year safety — the team’s longest-tenured starter, now that D.J. Humphries is off the roster — on the team going into his age-28 season.