Who could be the next player for the Pittsburgh Steelers to get paid amidst the team's very active offseason?
The Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to a record-breaking three-year, $123 million contract extension with outside linebacker T.J. Watt , keeping him with the team through the end of the 2028 season.
It's the time of the year for contract extensions, as the Steelers finally turn the page in the offseason to that portion of business, which begs the question, who is next after Watt?
Pittsburgh still has plenty of cap space and cash on hand to spend, so neither of those financial roadblocks will apply to the team and its other starters on expiring contracts. Instead, it will be about the timing of the deals and whether one or both parties will think it's an advantage to wait until the future.
WR Calvin Austin III
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III in a game against the Washington Commanders on Nov. 10, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Austin, 26, has steadily improved every year since being selected in the fourth round (No. 138 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a foot injury but has quickly made up for lost time.
In 2023, Austin had 17 catches for 180 yards and one touchdown. And then last season, he had a career-high 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns.
The Steelers may want to get out in front of what looks like could be a career year for Austin, with no one other than DK Metcalf ahead of him on the depth chart and the team likely to throw more with Aaron Rodgers at the helm of the offense.
However, at the end of minicamp, Austin said he hasn't even thought about the idea of an extension this offseason , and that he was expecting such a deal, should it happen, to come next year.
Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren at practice on Wednesday, Sept 20, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Warren, 26, signed his one-year tender as a restricted free agent to return to the Steelers in 2025 and seems to primed to have the biggest role of his career following the departure of Najee Harris in free agency.
Pittsburgh did add running back Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but Warren has proven to be an excellent change-of-pace and third-down back.
Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022, he has rushed for 1,674 yards and six touchdowns. He also has 127 catches for 894 yards during the span.
So the question is, will the Steelers want to lock up Warren long term, or wait and see what Kenneth Gainwell and Johnson bring to the table first?
Pittsburgh Steelers guard Isaac Seumalo during a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 11, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Seumalo said in February that he hasn't considered retiring, but that he also hadn't at that point considered his contract status beyond the 2025 season.
"I still have a love for the game and passion and preparation," he said. "So, you know, I haven't really thought about it too much. … I just try to show up on game day and be as prepared as I can be."
It's also unclear if the Steelers will want him back after the 2025 season. Omar Khan and Andy Weidl are in the midst of a youth movement with their offensive line, with four starters drafted over two classes in 2023 and 2024. Seumalo is the lone veteran left and will turn 32 this season.
Will Pittsburgh want to keep Seumalo beyond 2025 or look to go back into the draft for one last future piece?
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Who's Next for Steelers after T.J. Watt Contract Extension?
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