Almost one year ago, an emotional Maurkice Pouncey stood at the podium inside the media room at the Steelers training facility and spoke about signing a five-year, $44 million contract. Pouncey, the team’s first-round draft choice in 2010, signed his second NFL contract a month before training camp began and avoided any drama that can go along with an unresolved late-summer negotiation.
“It was a blessing,” the center said. “That was an emotional day for me. The Steelers showed me how blessed I was and how blessed I am to be here.”
The Steelers face the same scenario this spring with 2011 first-round pick Cameron Heyward, the defensive end who is one of two starters entering the final season of their rookie contracts. Offensive left tackle Kelvin Beachum, a seventh-round pick in 2012, is entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract.
The Steelers would like to sign both to second contracts.
Last year, they had three starters in contract years and signed them all before the season. After Pouncey got a new deal June 12, offensive right tackle Marcus Gilbert signed a five-year, $30 million contract during training camp, and cornerback Cortez Allen signed a four-year, $24.6 million contract on the eve of the regular-season opener.
Heyward would like to get his deal done sooner rather than later.
“I’m not here to ruffle feathers or make waves,” he said. “I’m not one of these guys who thinks about their contract while I’m here. I would love to have it done as soon as possible, but I’m not in any rush. I’ll let the cards fall where they might and continue to improve.”
For the Steelers, it’s nice to be in the position to offer a second contract to a former first-round pick for a second consecutive year. It doesn’t always work out that way.
Pouncey was the first top pick to get a second contract with the Steelers since Lawrence Timmons, the 2007 first-round pick. Running back Rashard Mendenhall and defensive end Ziggy Hood, the first-round picks in 2008 and 2009, did not make it to second contracts with the Steelers.
Heyward not only would like to sign a second contract with the Steelers, but he also wants to follow in the footsteps of recently retired teammates Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Brett Keisel.
“The Steelers greats, they don’t go anywhere else,” Heyward said. “That’s one of my goals — to be a Steelers great — and that means being here for the rest of my life, football and after.”
Heyward could make about $9 million per season on his next contract based on deals other marquee 3-4 defensive ends have signed in recent years. Heyward won’t approach the six-year, $100 million deal J.J. Watt of Houston signed, but he could approach the $11 million per season Calais Campbell of Arizona signed in 2012 or the $9 million per year deal Jurell Casey of Tennessee reached last year.
In addition to being a rising player at a position where the Steelers lack depth, Heyward is a budding leader on the defense.
It’s a bit more complicated with Beachum because of the salaries top left tackles are paid and the team’s investments in Pouncey and Gilbert. What also must be factored in is a possible new contract next season for right guard David DeCastro, the top pick in 2012.
According to Pro Football Focus, Beachum ranked fifth among NFL tackles last season behind Jason Peters, Andrew Whitworth, Joe Thomas and Joe Staley. All except Staley, who makes $7.4 million per year, earn $9.5 million or more per season.
Beachum does not have the track record of those players — he first became a starter midway through the 2013 season — but he could command a big contract on the open market if he performs at the same level for a second year in a row.
It does not appear the Steelers have anyone on their roster who is capable of taking over for Beachum. Mike Adams, the team’s second-round pick in 2012, failed as the starting left tackle early in the 2013 season, and Gilbert was tried as a left tackle in training camp that year before returning to right tackle.
The Steelers have enjoyed leverage with other players in recent years. When they could not come to a long-term agreement with receiver Mike Wallace before the 2012 season, they moved to sign Antonio Brown to a long-term deal instead.
Wallace went on to sign a big free-agent contract in Miami the following season, but the Steelers were well-positioned with someone of Brown’s caliber in line to replace him.
With Heyward and Beachum, they don’t appear to have that luxury.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
First Published: May 21, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
