The Pittsburgh Steelers have an important decision to make regarding Cameron Heyward's future with the team. The 35-year-old defensive captain will be entering his 14th NFL season when the 2024 campaign begins, and the veteran defender is fully confident that his career isn't winding down yet. Heyward chose not to attend most of Pittsburgh's 2024 Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as he seeks a new contract extension, with 2024 being the final year on his current deal.
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Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward looks at the screen during a Pittsburgh Steelers' game.
Heyward has been a foundational piece of Pittsburgh's defense for over a decade, with the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner's impact felt both on and off the football field. The concern for the Steelers and the fans is that the defensive lineman is coming off a 2023 season where Heyward missed extensive time due to a groin injury. Despite the uncertain situation involving his desire for extension, Heyward told Dale Lolley that it is his versatile approach to his position that will allow him to play for years to come.
"My game is different from everybody else in this league. I like to think I can play the run and the pass. And that's why I'm different. Last year, Mike [Tomlin] brought to my attention, the thing that's really cool is you watch powerlifters, and my game is built on power and technique. And (powerlifters) go into their 40s. And so, you know, that's what kind of research I'm doing behind the scenes."
Heyward has a point regarding his technique and the benefit it has at this stage in his career. Unlike standout pass rushers like TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, Heyward isn't reliant on his speed to play an integral role in the way he attacks the game. Age steals speed at a rapid and brutal rate, which makes Heyward's awareness of the situation all the more impressive.
The combination of Heyward's age, the severe nature of his groin injury, and the overall mood surrounding the 2023 season created a mixture that wasn't kind towards Pittsburgh's veteran defensive lineman. Prior to 2023, Heyward had put together two of his best professional seasons, tallying 20.5 sacks in 2021 and 2022 (both Pro Bowl years) without missing a single game. Despite that, though, Heyward seems to be involved in an uphill battle to get that contract extension he believes has been earned.
Lolley compared the 35-year-old Heyward to longtime defensive lineman Calais Campbell, whose 16th NFL season was in 2023. Campbell is approaching the age of 38, but turned in solid back-to-back seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2022) and the Atlanta Falcons (2023), producing 12 sacks. Like Heyward, Campbell's technique is built off strength, rather than speed, and if Pittsburgh's veteran truly wants to play for several more seasons in the NFL, he's being smart about it.
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Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward rushes the passer during a Pittsburgh Steelers game against the New England Patriots.
Steelers Need Heyward In 2024
While the prospect of paying a 35-year-old defensive lineman coming off a severe injury isn't at the top of most team's priority list, Heyward isn't like most players. The Steelers have come to rely on Heyward in the locker room and on the field, as his leadership has proven integral with each passing season. However, Heyward has some leverage, considering that Pittsburgh's defensive line could easily be seen as the weak spot of the roster.
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Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton during the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp.
Keeanu Benton is currently the only other defensive lineman other than Heyward who has shown the ability to rise to the challenges an NFL season can throw at a player. DeMarvin Leal has been underwhelming, to say the least, with healthy scratches defining his 2023 season, and rookie Logan Lee has a long way to go before he sniffs a starting spot. Breiden Fehoko, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Dean Lowry, and Montravius Adams are all players with plenty to prove, but that is because they haven't shown enough to this point in their careers. Larry Ogunjobi is a player the team will also likely count on to step up in 2024.
In a defense that is the highest-paid in the entire league, there can be no room for errors, especially with a new Arthur Smith offense being rolled out this upcoming season. If Heyward really wants the Steelers to see what life without him would be like, watching everyone on the defensive line who isn't him could result in even more leverage as he fights for that contract extension.
How much would you pay Cam Heyward if he was given a new extension? Comment below.
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