Contract of Browns’ Kirksey could affect Steelers’ negotiations with Shazier, Tuitt
On Tuesday, news broke that the Cleveland Browns had reached an agreement on a contract extension with inside linebacker Christian Kirksey, their third-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. While Steelers fans may barely notice or even care about the news, the signed extension does have the potential to affect Pittsburgh in regards to their own 2014 draft class; it sets a precedent for first-rounder Ryan Shazier and second-rounder Stephon Tuitt.
Ian Rapoport of ESPN shared the details of the Kirksey/Browns contract via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/869642050513326080
It’s worth noting that while Martavis Bryant was also drafted that year, his year-long suspension in 2016 didn’t count towards his contract – therefore he still has 2 years remaining on his rookie contract.
Establishing a floor for Shazier’s future contract
For Shazier, this extension should put a smile on his face. Kirksey has been a very solid player for the Browns, but he doesn’t have the athletic upside Shazier has. Shazier is a bigger overall playmaker than Kirksey by a wide margin. While Shazier will surely get his 5th-year option picked up by the Steelers, he will likely attempt to get a long-term deal signed and receive more money than Kirksey.
A look at the top 3 inside linebacker contracts in the NFL gives us an idea of the kind of money Shazier will be looking to get:
| Name | Total Value | Average/Year | Total Guaranteed |
| Luke Kuechly | $61,795,295 | $12,359,059 | $27,000,000 |
| Bobby Wagner | $43,000,000 | $10,750,000 | $8,977,427 |
| NaVorro Bowman | $42,000,000 | $10,500,000 | $9,250,000 |
Based on all of these numbers, Shazier will likely seek at least $10 million per year. His guaranteed money may be tricky however and could cause some conflict.
Guaranteed money is the amount the player keeps regardless of being cut, and given Shazier’s colorful injury history, the Steelers may want this number to be relatively low. While Kirksey got about half of his salary guaranteed -higher than any of the top 3 ILB’s – it’s tough imagining Shazier getting that level of monetary reward.
The Steelers have been burned in recent years by giving out too much guaranteed money. LaMarr Woodley and Cortez Allen both hurt the Steelers salary cap for years after being cut. While the Steelers certainly look to retain Shazier for the future and make him happy, expect them to be cautious in their negotiations.
Setting a precedent for Tuitt early
The Kirksey deal also sets precedent for Tuitt because he may be looking for a new deal this offseason rather than in 2018 when his contract is up. Cleveland offered Kirksey his extension before the final year of his rookie deal, something Pittsburgh has done in the past.
While Tuitt isn’t as good as his mate on the line, Cameron Heyward, quite yet, he may be looking for a similar deal. Tuitt has flashed his immense talent over the past few seasons, and while he’s yet to have a breakout season, he’s on the cusp. Tuitt saw his stats decline in 2016, but that can be attributed to Heyward being placed on injured reserve midway through the season. With Heyward out, teams were able to focus more on blocking Tuitt, forcing him to work through double-teams and push harder for breakouts into the offensive backfield.
With the salary cap rising every year, giving Tuitt an annual salary (around $10 million) similar to the one offered to Heyward makes sense. A young stud like Tuitt would have no issue getting a big payday from a different team. If the Steelers want to retain Tuitt, they will need to dip into their pockets. It’s also worth keeping in mind that the Steelers could be saving money by signing him early. If Tuitt were to have a huge breakout season in 2017, he could potentially request even more money.
Kirksey’s deal could affect the Steelers in a big way should either Shazier or Tuitt base their own contract negotiations on it. The overall effect on Pittsburgh’s salary cap – should the duo jump on the opportunity to point to the precedent – remains to be seen.
