The last remaining member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 draft class, Connor Heyward, has finalized a two-year deal worth $5.5 million with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Heyward’s departure officially closes the book on Pittsburgh’s 2022 draft class. The group now stands as the final draft conducted under longtime general manager Kevin Colbert before his retirement following the 2022 offseason. Notably, the class failed to produce a single player who earned a second contract with the Steelers, something that rarely happens for a franchise known for drafting and developing talent.
While Colbert built a Hall of Fame résumé during his tenure in Pittsburgh and played a major role in assembling multiple championship-caliber rosters, his final few draft classes did not deliver the same long-term impact. The lack of sustained production and player retention from those late drafts has been viewed by many as one of the reasons the Steelers have struggled to take the next step in recent seasons.
With Heyward now moving on to Las Vegas, the Steelers officially turn the page on the final chapter of the Colbert era and continue building under their current front office.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers TE Connor Heyward may find the right role in Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Raiders enter a new era this season after hiring former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their head coach following Seattle’s Super Bowl run. With a new coaching staff and offensive system in place, the Raiders are expected to continue reshaping their roster and are widely projected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
That offensive transition could create a strong opportunity for Connor Heyward. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers largely because of his positional versatility, Heyward brings the ability to line up at tight end, fullback, and running back. That type of flexibility fits well in Kubiak’s offensive philosophy, which traditionally values the use of a fullback and multiple formations in both the running and passing game.
In Pittsburgh, Heyward’s role gradually became more limited, especially this past season, where he was most often used in short-yardage situations, including on the team’s tush push packages. In Las Vegas, however, he could see a much more defined role. His ability to move around the formation and contribute as both a blocker and receiving option gives Kubiak another versatile piece to build around.
For the Raiders, the signing also helps address a need at fullback in a system that relies on that position. For Heyward, it presents an opportunity to carve out a larger role in an offense designed to take advantage of the exact versatility that made him a Steelers draft pick in the first place.