There’s plenty to be excited about when looking at the revamped Steelers defense, but one huge red flag is Cam Heyward’s potential holdout.
On Friday, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo offered his two cents on the situation — arguing that not only is Heyward unlikely to get a new contract, but Pittsburgh may only budge on restructuring his current deal as a “last resort.”
“Unfortunately for [Heyward], I think the Steelers are gonna wait a while to see if he comes back,” Fittipaldo said via 93.7 The Fan’s Pomp and Joe Show. “And then if he doesn’t, they might try to sweeten it before the season starts. But they’re not gonna renegotiate the ceiling, give him a new contract. The only solution, maybe advancing him a little bit of next year’s roster bonus, which is probably a last resort for the Steelers.”
Almost two weeks ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Heyward wasn’t practicing at training camp in full — holding out for a restructured deal, as his current position outside the top-20 DL salaries simply wasn’t cutting it.
If Heyward accepts advancing his 2026 roster bonus, the Steelers should jump at the opportunity — as taking care of one of the most talented and loyal defensive tackles while attempting to compete for a Super Bowl shouldn’t even be up for debate.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers insider predicts ‘last resort’ for Cam Heyward contract talks
