Fully focused
Cam Heyward is focused on helping the Steelers not his contract.
Cam Heyward is entering his second decade with the Steelers, which is long enough to know how they do business. Contract negotiations can take some time, especially when they’re dealing with their star players, and the money at stake is equivalent to the budget of a Hollywood blockbuster.
When Heyward, the Steelers’ All-Pro defensive end, was a rookie in 2011, news of Troy Polamalu’s contract extension broke as the Steelers were landing in Baltimore for the season opener against the Ravens. The Steelers, as a rule, don’t negotiate contracts with players once the regular season begins, and general manager Kevin Colbert beat the team’s self-imposed deadline by about eight hours.
In 2015, Cortez Allen, a member of Heyward’s 2011 draft class, signed just before midnight on the day before the opener against the Browns. Numerous other signings took place in the days leading up to the season.
The point is, these things can take time. Of course, none of those other contract negotiations took place during a global pandemic, which makes the multi-million dollar deal Heyward is now seeking a tricky proposition.
“It’s pretty uncertain right now,” Heyward said. “I don’t know what to think. I’ve seen a lot of teammates in the past sign, but at the same time I know the NFL is moving forward with its business. You see other guys getting their contracts resolved. I want to have faith, but I’m going to be ready to play either way. I’m going to make sure I’m locked in on this season. This won’t be a hindrance on my performance this year.”
A lot of variables make negotiating contracts challenging during these times. The salary cap could fall as much as $23 million for next season due to the loss of revenue teams will experience because fans will either not be allowed in stadiums or games will be played before 10,000-15,000 fans due to COVID-19. Estimates are that teams could lose as much as one-third of their estimated revenue.
One of the biggest factors is where the Steelers stand with the salary cap. They spend to the cap every year, and any drop in the cap means they’ll have to juggle their roster after the season ends. Or it could be making them think twice about which players they intend to build around while the cap is in flux.
There was little business done during the spring and early days of the summer, but Heyward is right when he points out teams are signing other players to contracts. The Kansas City Chiefs are spending all kinds of money to keep their core intact for years to come after winning the Super Bowl, including a record deal with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Other players are signing extensions around the league, too. There are still 28 days for the Steelers to get a new deal in place with Heyward. They open the regular season Sept. 14 at the New York Giants.
“Honestly, there are no new updates,” Heyward said. “I think we’re in the third week of camp now, and there is nothing of substance. Y’all know where I stand. I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. I want to lead this team to a Super Bowl. But we’ll see where we are. I love being a Pittsburgh Steeler, but it takes two to tango.”
Heyward said his agent,
Michael Perrett, and the Steelers continue to talk, but there has been no progress toward a deal.
“I know dealing with the coronavirus definitely delayed a lot of things,” Heyward said.“Early on, we set dates to talk. Nothing ever really got resolved or ramped up. We’re past those dates. My agent is talking to them, but there really hasn’t been anything of substance.”
Another variable in the negotiations is Heyward’s age. He turned 31 in May. Signing players to large contracts past 30 can be a gamble for teams, but it hasn’t stopped the Steelers from handing out big contracts to other star players in the past. Several Steelers players, including Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith and James Farrior, signed contracts extensions when they were past 30.
Perhaps most importantly, Heyward is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he appears to be smack dab in the middle of his prime.
Heyward is coming off a three-year stretch in which he has registered 29 sacks, which is more than half of his career total of 54. He’s made All-Pro twice in that span and garnered a reputation around the league as one of the top defensive linemen in the game.
If the Steelers don’t come to terms with Heyward before the season begins, they’ll have a small window after the season ends to restart negotiations. But with free agency starting in March, any extension talks would have to happen quickly, especially if the Steelers reach Heyward’s goal of appearing in the Super Bowl.