3 Steelers who could, or could not, sign new contracts soon
Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers signed all of their incoming draft picks, the team’s attention should divert to getting long-term deals done with some of their current players.
Here are three players who could have a new contract by the start of the regular season.
Le’Veon Bell
Bell has been the subject of a lot of speculation since the offseason began. First, it was whether or not the Steelers would exercise their right to place a franchise tag on their Pro Bowl running back. Pittsburgh used the option, which will pay Bell in upwards of $12.1 million this season, making him the league’s highest-paid running back.
However, Bell has not signed his tender and has increased speculation of a holdout by not appearing for the team’s offseason workouts. It should be noted that OTAs are an optional team function, while the Steelers recent minicamp is a mandatory one: for signed players. Since Bell hasn’t signed his tag, he is not required to participate.
Furthermore, Bell’s recent surgery to help heal from an injured groin which caused the back to miss most of the AFC Championship game could be the reason he hasn’t showed up for these events. There are reports that Bell is cleared to practice, but another segment of opinions lean toward Le’Veon continuing to rest.
His absence combined with his silence on any contract talks have fueled the thought of a holdout. Yet, Bell could be one of several players to sign a new deal this offseason, as he’s apparently seeking a long-term deal. Contrary to those rumblings, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ed Bouchette believes Bell won’t get a deal done this offseason:
They believe he’ll be here when it counts and his groin is fine and everything will be hunky-dory, it’s just a matter now of whether he plays one year for $12 million, or signs a long-term deal, and I think I told you guys, I’ve told everybody I’ve talked to, I don’t think the deals going to get done, the long-term deal
Regardless of the path Bell chooses, he’s set to be rewarded for his hard work throughout the years. The only hiccup to a long-term deal, in my opinion, is Bell’s injury and suspension history. Perhaps Pittsburgh will take a “wait and see” approach, and simply operate under the franchise tag for 2017 unless the two sides can compromise on another direction.
Alejandro Villanueva
If I had a nickel for every time someone has talked about the Steelers left tackle’s contract situation this offseason… I’d have a lot of nickels!
For all intents and purposes, Villanueva is locked up by the Pittsburgh for the next two seasons. He’s currently tendered as an exclusive rights free agent, a byproduct of his signing a futures contract two years ago. In short, this means Alejandro cannot enter contract negotiations with another club.
He’s solely the Steelers property for 2017.
Villanueva has yet to sign his tender, with him and his agent working with the front office on a long-term deal. However, unlike Bell, the offensive lineman has shown up to and worked out in all of the team’s offseason programs thus far. (In order to do so he signed a waiver.)
Despite Villanueva being present at the team’s facilities, his contract negotiations have still had a lot of speculation surrounding them. Villanueva rose to become the Steelers starting left tackle when Kelvin Beachum was injured during the 2015 season. He continued on as the starter last season and appears to be a solid option for the foreseeable future.
As our own Brian Roach noted, Pittsburgh has a second-year fourth-round draft pick, Jerald Hawkins, waiting in the wings. Plus, Villanueva isn’t considered one of the top players at his position. Combined with his age (he got a late start in the NFL due to his military commitments) contract talks could continue, or they could dissolve. Should negotiations break down, the Steelers could still retain Villanueva again in 2018 as a restricted free agent. The team would have the option of matching any offer another franchise could offer “Big Al”, or would be rewarded if they chose not to.
This story should continue to gain momentum up until the start of the regular season if a new deal isn’t struck earlier.
Stephon Tuitt
Of the three players listed here, the most likely to have a new contract in hand by the kickoff of the 2017 season is Stephon Tuitt. Tuitt is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2018, as he’s still operating under his original rookie contract.
Some rumblings occurred at the start of this week’s minicamp when the Steelers defensive end went missing from team drills. Reports coming from several beat writers, via teammate and recent free agent acquisition Tyson Alualu, is that Tuitt is sitting out minicamp to hold out for a contract extension. The news came as a surprise since Tuitt was accounted for during all of the Steelers OTA sessions.
A new contract for Tuitt could become the next priority for the Steelers depending on what happens with Villanueva: Bell will be on the hook for an exceptional amount of money no matter if he remains under the franchise tag or not.
However, with Bell eligible for the franchise tag again in 2018, and Villanueva becoming a restricted free agent without a new contract as well, Tuitt could jump to the front of the line in getting an agreement done.
