Cameron Heyward Turns Career Season Into Large Payday With Pittsburgh Steelers

Cameron Heyward Turns Career Season Into Large Payday With Pittsburgh Steelers
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers and defensive end Cameron Heyward agreed to a six-year, $59.25 million contract, with $15 million due upfront in signing and roster bonuses and $21 million to be paid within the first eight months. While it’s not necessarily an overpay for the Steelers, it’s a lot of money for a player whose career-high in sacks is 7.5. Heyward does play the run extremely well in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense, but typically run-stoppers don’t get contracts of this size.

The Steelers could be banking on Heyward entering his prime, as his sack numbers have increased in all four years that he’s been in the NFL, and he’s racked up over 50 tackles over the last two seasons. If those numbers continue to rise, the Steelers could actually end up with a bargain, but it’s also possible that Heyward will never be that double-digit sack guy.

With a changing of the guard at defensive coordinator, this Steelers’ defense is in a transition period. Lawrence Timmons, James Harrison and Heyward are now the leaders of an extremely young front seven. Guys like Ryan Shazier, Bud Dupree and Stephon Tuitt will be playing significant roles defensively, and it will be up to the veterans to help put them in the right spots to succeed.

New Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler has a tall task ahead of him this upcoming season. Not only is he replacing a legend in Dick LeBeau, but he’s also inheriting a unit that had one its worst seasons in years in 2014, and the group is still relatively green. It will take a tremendous coaching job from Butler to make the Steelers a threat defensively.

The success of the Steelers’ defense will be the most important factor in how successful the team is in 2015. Last season, the Steelers were just behind the New Orleans Saints in total offense, but it was the defense that failed them in the Wild Card round against the Baltimore Ravens. There will be a lot of pressure on Heyward and the defense to give a much better performance this upcoming season, or there could be some big changes coming next offseason.

Jason Fletcher is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.

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