Bang to your buck. That’s what each staff is seeking to do. When you get previous the celebrities and huge-money contracts, each group is making an attempt to achieve an edge by maximizing the remainder of their roster. The extra stars who’re getting paid, the extra vital that mission is. Former agent Joel Corry thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster is filled with worth.
In his yearly article making a 53-man roster of the perfect group “cash should buy” based mostly off cap numbers, 5 Steelers made Corry’s listing. Like most lists, it had a defensive slant that includes three names: DT Cam Heyward, EDGE Nick Herbig, and NCB Beanie Bishop Jr. TE Darnell Washington was the lone consultant offensively, whereas Okay Chris Boswell made it on particular groups.
Heyward isn’t making peanuts however is a far cry from the highest 10 in cap hit for the place. Whereas he obtained an extension earlier than the season, it created little danger for Pittsburgh whereas giving Heyward the possibility to retire a Steeler. That’s trying like actuality because of his glorious 2024 season, ending with eight sacks and 11 cross deflections.
Kicker Chris Boswell was the opposite starter on Corry’s roster. Signing an extension in 2022, he’s confirmed to be a discount and is coming off an elite season with stats you most likely can recite by now. A league-leading 41 area objectives, the primary Steeler to ever lead the NFL in scoring, and a pair of six area purpose performances that set a league document, Boswell was cash all season lengthy. Even with two years left on his deal and Pittsburgh usually ready till a 12 months out to re-up gamers, an extension for Boswell this summer time may very well be so as.
Herbig was an impression participant for a lot of the season solely to be tripped up by a hamstring harm. Whereas the top of his season was quieter than the way it started, partially as a result of the EDGE room acquired wholesome, he completed the 12 months with 5.5 sacks and 4 compelled fumbles. One of many league’s greatest rotational rushers, he completed off the common season with a sack on QB Joe Burrow, inserting him proper behind Alex Highsmith on the staff’s seasonal sack listing. He stays on his rookie deal by way of 2026.
Bishop made spotlight reels with 4 interceptions his rookie season, together with a formidable snag within the finale towards the Cincinnati Bengals. Undrafted out of West Virginia, Bishop spent the primary half of the 12 months beginning earlier than ceding snaps to veteran Cam Sutton by 12 months’s finish. Bishop’s 4 picks as a UDFA rookie are the second-most in staff historical past, solely trailing Jack Butler’s 5 set in 1951.
Lastly, Washington made Corry’s listing as a backup tight finish. On the second 12 months of his rookie deal, he made massive strides as a blocker and allowed Pat Freiermuth to be extra versatile. Washington wasn’t used a lot within the passing sport and was frozen out the ultimate few weeks with one goal over the ultimate month, however he blocked nicely within the cross and run sport. He’ll be an affordable No. 2 tight finish subsequent season.
