The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cameron Heyward came to an agreement with less than eight days to spare.
Heyward, the veteran defensive lineman and captain, agreed to a four-year contract extension Sunday. According to an ESPN report, the contract includes $65.6 million in new compensation and is considered to be the biggest total contract given a defensive player older than 30 in NFL history.
Counting the 2020 season, the deal is five years for $75.1 million.
The Steelers are scheduled to open the 2020 season Monday, Sept. 14 at the New York Giants.
The Steelers got down to the roster limit Saturday afternoon, they did so by releasing 352-pound nose tackle Daniel McCullers and 5-foot-8, 185-pound slot receiver/return specialist Ryan Switzer.
McCullers, who had spent the past six years with the Steelers, and Switzer were two of the familiar faces shown the door among the 27 players cut.
Among the other players waived were sixth-round draft pick Antoine Brooks, a safety from Maryland, and five players who finished the 2019 season on the Steelers roster: quarterback Paxton Lynch, linebacker Tuzar Skipper, running backs Kerrith Whyte Jr. and Trey Edmunds and wide receiver Deon Cain.
The Pittsburgh Steelers brought back a pair of veterans of past seasons Sunday, signing quarterback Josh Dobbs and safety Sean Davis.
Dobbs was claimed off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars, to whom he was traded 50 weeks ago for a 2020 fifth-round draft pick. Davis was signed after he’d cleared waivers following a release by Washington.
The Steelers cut Devlin “Duck” Hodges, the undrafted rookie tryout from Samford who started six games last season, to clear roster space.
The next step for the Steelers will be establishing the 16-man practice squad, which will be finalized Sunday after players clear waivers.
NFL: Jadeveon Clowney agreed to a one-year contract to play for the Tennessee Titans, ESPN reported yesterday. The Titans will play the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football Week 1, Sept. 14th.