Football first: Steelers General Manager reaffirms policy of no contract negotiations during the season, leaving Heyward in limbo as his final year approaches.

Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has recently expressed his desire for a new contract, but the team has a strict policy against negotiating contracts during the season. General Manager Omar Khan recently reaffirmed this policy, stating that all contract talks will cease once the season begins. This means that players such as James Daniels, Justin Fields, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, and Russell Wilson, who are scheduled to become free agents in 2025, will not receive new deals until after the season unless negotiations are completed in the next 2 1/2 months.

Heyward is entering the final year of his contract that pays him $16 million this year. He is eager for an extension, but time is running out for negotiations to take place before the season kicks off. Khan emphasized the importance of focusing on football once the season starts, despite acknowledging the business aspect of contract negotiations. Extending the contracts of Fields and Wilson before the season could be seen as a risky move, as their performance during the season could impact their value. However, waiting until after the season to negotiate new deals also poses a risk of potentially increasing the players’ asking prices.

Khan expressed a focus on the current season’s priorities, indicating that contract talks for other players will have to wait until after the season concludes. The Steelers have a lot at stake this year and Khan wants to ensure that they are fully prepared for it without any distractions caused by contract negotiations. It remains to be seen how Heyward will handle missing out on a possible extension before his final year with