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The Pittsburgh Steelers do not have a starting strong safety. Pro Bowl strong safety Tyrann Mathieu is on the market still. See the fit? So do we. Are the Steelers willing to pay Mathieu enough to come to Pittsburgh? That is the burning question left to be answered.
We know Kevin Colbert, and Mike Tomlin know that Mathieu is a solid player, and would be a fit beside All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick. They’re not dumb. They’d also love to have JC Jackson, Chandler Jones, and Von Miller too, but it just isn’t possible. Some will say that Mathieu isn’t possible either, but he is, and here’s why.
Mathieu’s past contracts (rookie deal not included):
Cardinals 2016 (extension) – 5 years 64 million – released two years into contract prior to 2018 season.
Texans 2018 – 1 year 7 million – played out and left Houston
Chiefs 2019 – 3 years 42 million – played out contract
Mathieu like all NFL players are always looking for that next big contract until it isn’t possible anymore. And even then they still are chasing it. Can’t blame them though because some teams will still shell out the big dollars even when a player is nearing his twilight. That’s why the Detroit Lions, and Jacksonville Jaguars’ of the world stay the same year in and year out.
If Mathieu was going to get the huge contract it would’ve already happened. Safety Marcus Williams signed a 5 year 70 million dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday. The premier safeties are still in the same neighborhood as 2016 when Mathieu received his large extension. That should show you how much the NFL thinks of safeties, especially when Devante Adams just got 28 million per year yesterday. He’s just not going to get a long term deal at his age.
So that set the top end of the market for this off-season for safeties. 14-16 million per season. Hunter Smith signed a 4 year 64 million dollar deal last year in Minnesota averaging 16 million per season. There’s no doubt that Mathieu’s agents are pushing for him to get at least 14 million per season, but it just isn’t likely. Fellow stud Landon Collins is also on the market, and neither of them are going to see top end contracts.
The Steelers could easily offer 14 million under normal circumstances, but the outlier is the fact that they still have to sign their own outstanding safety in Fitzpatrick. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and it’s believed that he’s the number one priority for the Steelers once the draft has concluded. The Steelers likely want to give Fitzpatrick a similar deal to that of Williams in Baltimore. That’s at the 14 million spot. They just can’t feasibly give Mathieu more than they want to give Fitzpatrick and bid against themselves for him. Giving him the same amount per year leaves a good argument for Fitzpatrick’s agent. Fitzpatrick is several years younger, and an All-Pro.
The Steelers would have to continue to step out of their normal business structure if they want to get Mathieu into Pittsburgh. They might have to outbid a team with guaranteed money, which they never do, or really pile on the incentives.
They could offer him 3 years 39 million with incentives that get it up to 50 million. If his market is cold, which there’s no indication that it is, that could be the number that gets him to town. Basically you better be saying your prayers before bed about him coming to town, and trying to speak it into existence. (BTW am I doing that right?)
Or they can just re-sign Terrell Edmunds. But Honey Badger sounds a lot better.
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
We know Kevin Colbert, and Mike Tomlin know that Mathieu is a solid player, and would be a fit beside All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick. They’re not dumb. They’d also love to have JC Jackson, Chandler Jones, and Von Miller too, but it just isn’t possible. Some will say that Mathieu isn’t possible either, but he is, and here’s why.
Mathieu’s past contracts (rookie deal not included):
Cardinals 2016 (extension) – 5 years 64 million – released two years into contract prior to 2018 season.
Texans 2018 – 1 year 7 million – played out and left Houston
Chiefs 2019 – 3 years 42 million – played out contract
Mathieu like all NFL players are always looking for that next big contract until it isn’t possible anymore. And even then they still are chasing it. Can’t blame them though because some teams will still shell out the big dollars even when a player is nearing his twilight. That’s why the Detroit Lions, and Jacksonville Jaguars’ of the world stay the same year in and year out.
If Mathieu was going to get the huge contract it would’ve already happened. Safety Marcus Williams signed a 5 year 70 million dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday. The premier safeties are still in the same neighborhood as 2016 when Mathieu received his large extension. That should show you how much the NFL thinks of safeties, especially when Devante Adams just got 28 million per year yesterday. He’s just not going to get a long term deal at his age.
So that set the top end of the market for this off-season for safeties. 14-16 million per season. Hunter Smith signed a 4 year 64 million dollar deal last year in Minnesota averaging 16 million per season. There’s no doubt that Mathieu’s agents are pushing for him to get at least 14 million per season, but it just isn’t likely. Fellow stud Landon Collins is also on the market, and neither of them are going to see top end contracts.
The Steelers could easily offer 14 million under normal circumstances, but the outlier is the fact that they still have to sign their own outstanding safety in Fitzpatrick. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and it’s believed that he’s the number one priority for the Steelers once the draft has concluded. The Steelers likely want to give Fitzpatrick a similar deal to that of Williams in Baltimore. That’s at the 14 million spot. They just can’t feasibly give Mathieu more than they want to give Fitzpatrick and bid against themselves for him. Giving him the same amount per year leaves a good argument for Fitzpatrick’s agent. Fitzpatrick is several years younger, and an All-Pro.
The Steelers would have to continue to step out of their normal business structure if they want to get Mathieu into Pittsburgh. They might have to outbid a team with guaranteed money, which they never do, or really pile on the incentives.
They could offer him 3 years 39 million with incentives that get it up to 50 million. If his market is cold, which there’s no indication that it is, that could be the number that gets him to town. Basically you better be saying your prayers before bed about him coming to town, and trying to speak it into existence. (BTW am I doing that right?)
Or they can just re-sign Terrell Edmunds. But Honey Badger sounds a lot better.
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
