Here is a look at five players that the Steelers should intend to keep around the team.
The Steelers have some places on their team that they need to upgrade but there are also players who are performing well that the Steelers should consider keeping. The team has a policy that they do not negotiate with players during the season.
This policy is a good idea for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons that this is a good policy is it gives an artificial deadline for getting contracts extended. TJ Watt knew that if he wanted to stay with the Steelers long-term that he would have to sign before the end of the season.
The other thing that benefits the team is that the players can focus on playing football during the season. It can be a distraction for players to be focused on their contract instead of on winning football games. That can negatively impact performance on the field.
Of course, every player has their price and you know the Rooney’s and Kevin Colbert will walk away when the price gets too high. The Steelers will also take the compensatory picks that come with losing a player over keeping that player. There are also a lot of scenarios where they were able to extend a player.
One thing I notice while covering the Steelers is they usually wait until the beginning of free agency to resign these players. I would assume that it is the player’s choice to wait and see what other offers are out there. The majority of Steelers have said that they would like to stay with a winner like the Steelers but there are scenarios where a player may be offered more money by another team. Rarely ever is it that the player does not like playing for Coach Tomlin.