The Steelers could turn their attention to signing some of these five players before the start of the regular season.
The Steelers are currently projected to have roughly 40 million in space. That is according to over the cap, which is one of the best cap guru websites for NFL clubs. That number will be changing soon as the season gets closer to start and Pittsburgh tries to re-sign some of their own.
There are some surprising names that will be coming into their last season under contract with the black and gold. They will need to find a resolution with the franchise on a new deal so they can stick around. Those bigger names made this list as the club will try and get a contract situated with their players before the regular season campaign begins.
The rule that Pittsburgh has always instilled under the Kevin Colbert regime was they would not negotiate players during the schedule. That could be different under Omar Khan as General manager, but it is not likely going to change. Getting some of these players under contract past 2022 will be a main goal for this club.
Chris Boswell needs a new deal from the Steelers
Chris Boswell is someone that many people take for granted. He is a kicker, and they are people too, but this player is just one of the best to ever do it in the history of the NFL. He has consistently been one of the most accurate kickers during his time here.
The Steelers need to find a way to lock up this player to a new contract and that seems like it will happen. This should not be an intense negotiation period and Pittsburgh knows what kind of quality player they have with Boswell. Inking him to a new deal before the regular season begins seems the most likely to happen out of this list.
Terrell Edmunds needs a long-term contract after re-signing with the Steelers
Terrell Edmunds is going to be an interesting player to watch this year. He is back after testing the free agency waters, just to return to the Steelers on a one-year contract. That situation could happen again or perhaps the club will feel more comfortable spending some money on him going forward.
This safety is a hard worker and that has shown with his progression since his time as a rookie. He is no longer a detriment to the secondary and he has performed as one of the best at his position in the NFL. He deserves a long-term deal, but the jury is still out if that will be with Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
They refused to budge on giving him money or term this past offseason, so it might not happen again. There is a new guy in the General Manager chair, and he could always change some ideas about players’ futures on this team. Perhaps he likes Edmunds’s game and will be interested in negotiating a deal with him during the pre-season.
Again, this does not seem likely to happen because they just signed him to a one-year prove it deal. If he can show enough in the pre-season process, then that could get conversations going between the Steelers and his agent. That is how deals can formulate quickly.
Chris Wormley and Tyson Alualu are entering the final year of their contracts
Tyson Alualu has been a steady contributor for the Steelers ever since he signed a while back. He joined the club after many years of being called a bust, but he quickly earned a nice role in the Steel City. He became a run-stuffing nose tackle for one of the best defensive lines in the league.
Chris Wormley was an addition to the team that brought over some young veteran experience onto the team. He filled out a depth role that saw him come onto the field in certain situations or when the starters needed a breather. That role expanded into a starting role last season after Alualu got injured early on.
Not only was he filling in for Alualu, but he also stepped in for a missing Stephon Tuitt. Now Wormley will look to bring back some of the pass rushing ability that he showed in 2022 and round out the rest of his game. He could be in line for a nice raise if he can show more aggression against the run.
Alualu is the question mark about where this team wants to go with him in the future. It would be somewhat shocking if they decide to give him a new deal because of his age. He is coming off a tough ankle injury and will need to prove that he has not lost a step against the run.
Cameron Sutton will need to be a priority that is sneaking under the radar
Cameron Sutton has become one of the best cornerbacks for the Steelers since developing during his time in the NFL. It took him some time to learn and figure things out since coming out of college. Since then, he has become a steady contributor on the inside for this defense.
He had to replace Mike Hilton and he has done that well. No one has been able to replace Hilton’s ability when it comes to rushing the passer on certain blitzes. Sutton has done well in coverage and lessened the blow with Hilton departing the club to the rival Cincinnati Bengals.
Many fans were desperate for Pittsburgh to re-sign Sutton just two years ago and that will happen again soon. He is currently scheduled to become a free agent after this season, but he is one of the best cornerbacks on the team. He might even be the best currently proven on the roster.
He needs to be a priority signing by the Steelers before training camp and the preseason wraps up. They need to keep better quality corners under longer-term contracts and that should start with Sutton. They have some money to spend, and this player should not cost an arm and a leg.
Diontae Johnson is looking for a nice raise from the Steelers
Diontae Johnson was the second-star player that was getting a lot of attention regarding his contract situation during organized team activities. Minkah Fitzpatrick was the other player, but he ended up getting his new contract situated quickly. Now Johnson still sits there without a new contract as other top receivers in the NFL are getting paid the big bucks.
Many go back and forth when it comes to the mindset of paying this wide-out big money. He has been consistent over the last couple of years and finds ways of putting up respectable numbers in bad offenses. That should say something, but some still get concerned with different trends in his history.
The drops have always stuck in the mind of many fans, but this player has worked hard on taking away those fears. He was one of the best receivers to not drop the ball when it came in his direction. He is an explosive player that will need to have another big year to get paid the kind of money he is seeking.
The Steelers do like this player, and it makes sense why they do. He can create big plays with the ball in his hand and he is a hard worker. He has not missed a day of practice or threatened to hold out for a new deal. They will probably peak into negotiations during training camp with Johnson’s contingent, but a deal probably will not happen.
The Steelers will have lots of cap space to work with next offseason, but that can change quickly. They have a lot of players currently scheduled to hit free agency that they need to bring back.