PITTSBURGH — Following an entertaining victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first preseason game, things are looking bright for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The offensive line looked in midseason form and multiple players on both sides of the ball made standout plays that boosted their stock heading into the final few weeks of the preseason.
The biggest drawback from the Steelers’ preseason victory was the discouraging update regarding defensive leader and elite defensive tackle Cam Heyward. One year after signing a contract extension, the 36-year-old is holding in with the goal of restructuring his current deal. As a result, he’s missed the last few days of practice.
Without Heyward participating in drills and on the field, worry is mounting quickly. This defensive unit is expected to be among the best in the NFL in 2025, and that includes having a healthy and productive version of their top DT. If he’s not on the field over the next few weeks, could this issue become a much larger distraction for the team? According to defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, it’s the least of their concerns.
“He’s in every meeting. He is a leader,” Austin affirmed. “The stuff that he feels he has to do, that’s what he’s taking care of. We’re out there playing. He’s helping. He’s doing all the things he can until it’s time to really get going.”
That may not be the answer everyone wanted to hear, but it paints a clear picture. The Steelers are not the least bit concerned with Heyward missing practices or the remaining preseason games as the two sides hash things out. As far as Austin is concerned, getting Heyward practice reps is the least of his priority before Week 1 against the New York Jets.
“I think he’s had like 63,000 (practice reps) in his career,” he joked. “So he’s probably good.”
Heyward has certainly put in the time with the organization. The team selected him with the 31st pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, and he’s played his entire career in Pittsburgh.Going into last season, he earned a contract extension as he’s maintained elite production into his late 30s. He responded with 11 passes deflected and eight sacks over 17 games in 2024. It stands to reason he can reach those same numbers in 2025.
The Steelers have a few weeks to figure the contractual side of things out with Heyward. In the meantime, the rest of the defense will prepare for the regular season, anticipating having their veteran leader on the field when Week 1 kicks off.
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