Steely McBeam
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- Mar 20, 2019
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Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward said recently that he wants a contract extension before noting that it takes two to tango when it comes to negotiations.
The team’s president indicated on Wednesday that the Steelers want to dance, but Art Rooney II also added a caveat that makes it far from a sure thing that the music is going to start.
“No doubt, Cam has been an outstanding player for us on and off the field,” Rooney said, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “What he means in the locker room is tremendous. That is why we’d love to keep him, extend his contract. Whether it’s before the season or after the season, he’s going to be one of our priorities to make sure he’s here next year as well.”
The complication is that the Steelers already have $189 million committed to next year’s cap and it may be below that number as the league and union have set a $175 million floor to account for revenue losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rooney echoed General Manager Kevin Colbert’s comments about the challenges involved in doing a deal in this environment, which may leave Heyward to cool his heels off the dance floor a while longer.