The Pittsburgh Steelers were extremely lucky to draft defensive lineman, Cameron Heyward back in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He has been a staple in the locker room for over a decade and is still playing at an elite level at 33 years of age. He had five and a half sacks in the team's final four games of the season and was one of the main reasons the defense played so well down the stretch. No fan can imagine Heyward in anything other than a black and gold jersey, but following the Week 18 win over the Cleveland Browns, he had some interesting things to say about his future with the team.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 19: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs onto the field during player introductions prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field on December 19, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. | Photo by Justin Berl / Getty Images
According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, the defensive lineman spoke with the media following the contest and he seemed a bit speculative on whether he would be welcomed back to play for the Steelers next season. Kaboly tweeted his exact quote:
"You never know if they want me back or not. I say it every year. I would like to be back, but you never know. There is the business side of things. NFL, 'Not For Long.' I want to be back. I would like to be a Steeler, but you don't know what's going on in the future."
It's important to note that the veteran said he makes the same comment at the end of each season, but heading into the 2023 off-season, it seems slightly more of a possibility because at the end of the day, the NFL is a business and Heyward is an expensive part of Pittsburgh's operation. He has a cap hit over $22 million next year which will be the biggest number of his career. If the Steelers were even considering moving on from him, it's more likely the two parties agree to a restructure instead.
Steelers defensive lineman, Cameron Heyward (#97) stands on the field at Acrisure Stadium before a 2022 regular season game against the New York Jets. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
The defensive line was very inconsistent for a lot of the 2022 season. The group had strong points, but also let the team down in multiple games early on. It would be pretty unwise to get rid of the staple to your front on the defensive side given his experience and leadership. Releasing him before June 1st would save almost $9.5 million in cap space, but also add on over $12 million in dead money for the franchise.
Heyward finished the season with 10.5 sacks, the second highest number of his career and while he is not the cheapest player on the payroll, there is no reason to even consider moving on from him based on his level of play and stock within the organization. His comments are more so his veteran awareness and understanding the fact that nothing is guaranteed in the NFL.
Despite his comments after the game, Steelers fans shouldn't be concerned about Heyward not playing in Pittsburgh next season. A restructure of his contract can be expected to help soften the blow of his cap number, but there are virtually no scenarios where the organization moves on from the longest-tenured player on the current roster. He makes everyone around him better and will continue to do so in 2023.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, Cam Heyward (#97) participates in 2022 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
What are your thoughts on Heyward's comments on Sunday? Let us know in the comments below!
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