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REPORT – Steelers Nearing Record Breaking Deal with Minkah Fitzpatrick

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The Pittsburgh Steelers top priority this off-season was to lock up All Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The star safety has one-year left on his contract and would become a free agent next season if a deal couldn’t be worked out.

According to NFL Network reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala who joined the PM Team on 93.7 the Fan Pittsburgh this afternoon, the Steelers are closing in on a long term deal for Fitzpatrick.


CLICK HERE TO READ STEELERS STILL IN ON TYRANN MATHIEU​



If a deal is signed soon that would be out of the norm for the Steelers when they hand out big time extensions. The negotiations usually go down to the wire for these types of things. Last year the Steelers almost didn’t have TJ Watt for the opening game of the season due to his contract situation. Watt of course signed a few days before the game in Buffalo and didn’t miss any time.


CLICK HERE TO READ STEELERS STILL IN ON TYRANN MATHIEU​



“And I’m still told that that deal is very very close to be getting done. So be on alert for that,” Kinkhabwala told Andrew Fillipponi on 93.7 the Fan today.”

Fillipponi fired back and asked her if the contract would make Fitzpatrick the highest paid safety in the NFL?

“Yes I expect that. I do expect that,” she continued.”


One of the main reasons the Steelers weren’t expected to make a move for Pro Bowler Tyrann Mathieu was because the Steelers were getting ready to pay huge money for Fitzpatrick. It was believed the Steelers wouldn’t be able to meet Mathieu’s contract demands, and still pay Fitzpatrick his worth. Basically they weren’t going to out bid themselves for Fitzpatrick by over paying for a 30 year old safety.

That’s where apparently there’s been some movement on the Mathieu front. Kinkhabwala has been told that the asking price for Mathieu isn’t as steep as it was initially believed, and that the Mike Tomlin effect could be in full force with Mathieu. According to Mathieu, Tomlin put a call in to him sometime this off-season, and Mathieu loves the thought of playing for Tomlin.

Steelers offer to Fitzpatrick​


If the Steelers are going to make Fitzpatrick the highest paid safety in the NFL they’re going to have to beat 17.5 million per season. The highest paid safety in the NFL is the Seattle Seahawks’ Jamal Adams, who makes $17.5 million in average annual salary. The Minnesota Vikings’ Harrison Smith, at $16 million per season, is second. The Denver Broncos’ Justin Simmons, who makes $15.25 million per season, is third

A five-year 90 million dollar deal would make Fitzpatrick the highest paid safety, and one of the highest paid defensive players in the NFL. This would just add more expense to the leagues highest paid defense in the NFL.

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I hope if we sign Minkah to big $$ we can finally hit on a CB in the draft. Probably wont have cap room to sign an upper tier guy now.
 
I hope if we sign Minkah to big $$ we can finally hit on a CB in the draft. Probably wont have cap room to sign an upper tier guy now.
They have one starting position open that S will come in before the draft.

You will see depth signings after that.
 
I hope if we sign Minkah to big $$ we can finally hit on a CB in the draft. Probably wont have cap room to sign an upper tier guy now.
They have one starting position open that S will come in before the draft.

You will see depth signings after that IMO.
 
They can still move some money around with reworking contracts but honestly do you really want them to do that unless they are sure this season isn’t going to be bad?
 
They can still save $9 million by getting rid of Tuitt as a post June 1 cut.
They must have some confidence in him, or they would have addressed DL in free agency......this is a big unknown.
 
They must have some confidence in him, or they would have addressed DL in free agency......this is a big unknown.
Big unknown this year with Tuitt and Alualu returning from injury at 35. Plus, both have expiring contracts and there is no way they should even think about giving Tuitt another contract. After that, they have mostly depth pieces. Hopefully, Loudermilk will continue to develop but they need a young stud to add to the DL with Tuitt and Alualu gone this year or next, and then Cam probably gone in 2 or 3 years.
 
More likely than not, they will extend Tuitt to a 2yr deal and cut his cap hit in half or we find out earlier by a June 1st cut. June 1st will show the STEELERS what they want to see and that is his committment to his comeback and their 1yr paid vacaion investment.

Either way he is a Question mark and we should be looking for a 1st or 2nd round DL stud. PRO-action not RE-action.



Salute the nation
 
No way I extend Tuitt unless his salary is truly cut in half for both years - not cut in half this year and then a balloon next year. He's not worth it. If they don't cut him now, they need to be able to cut him after this year without a large cap hit. I'd rather just cut him and move on now. He is too unreliable.
 
We are spending a ton of money on defense in a league that is totally offensive driven. Even the good defenses cannot stop the Mahomes and Josh Allen of the world. It's a Catch 22.
 
If you can harass the QB and have suitable DBs, you can absolutely win in this league with defense.

Add in a good offensive line, a very good RB and an offense that does not turn the ball over and can score TD's, not field goals, in the red zone and definitely can win with that combination.
 
If you can harass the QB and have suitable DBs, you can absolutely win in this league with defense.
Defense will always win championships. That's why I'm so adamant about getting a DL that will take on double and triple teams. Get themselves back in a top 5 rush defense to boot.
 
I would rather have a top 5 offense with an average defense.
 


Great find and great point made.

I don't have a proble investing lopsided in the "D" vs the "O" as long as our team is progressing in getting better. Our gap will narrow when some of the new hires are accounted for.

A lot of "talking heads and some here " talk about the bungles & ravens & browns being so much ahead of us but they don't take into their draft positioning as opposed to the STEELERS for the last 10 years. Also the fact we had a HOF franchise QB well worth it salary where-as the others don't /........ yet !!! Lets see how the two sustain in a above average wins vs their 2-5 wins drafting.

There is a reason the division looks to us as their mentor and superbowl twice a year.


Salute the nation
 
I would rather have a top 5 offense with an average defense.
Yep, no team built old school like the Titans can win championships. It's all about offense and having a mediocre defense can carry you to titles
 
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