5 Steelers contracts we should feel great about heading into 2021

FS Minkah Fitzpatrick

Any good player still on their rookie deal is going to appear as a bargain. But when that player is already a two-time Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro player, that contract looks like an especially good steal. Despite already developing a reputation as one of the best young safeties in the league, Minkah Fitzpatrick is currently earning just $4.1 million per season over the final two years of his rookie deal. This makes him just the 33rd highest-paid safety in the NFL.

Meanwhile, 11 NFL safeties are making between $10-14 million per year. While Minkah’s time will come when he has a chance to become the highest-paid safety in the league, that time isn’t as soon as you think. The former Dolphins first-round pick still has extremely cheap years in 2021 and 2022 before the Steelers will undoubtedly give him a very reasonably priced fifth-year option.

Essentially, Minkah has three cheap years left on his deal before Pittsburgh really has to fork up a lot of money for him. By then, we should have a very good idea of exactly how much he is worth. Something tells me he’s going to be worth a huge second contract though.