Steelers May Have 1 Surprising Free Agent That's "Too Valuable" To Lose In 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers do not have a lot of time left to get their re-signings done. They have a pretty long list of pending free agents, and an argument could be made for many of them to return. General Manager Omar Khan has recently returned to Pittsburgh from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, which means it's time for him to start handing out some contracts to keep some key pieces around for another year. It would be very telling if no major players received another deal with Pittsburgh. 

In his recent article on X, insider Mark Kaboly spoke about what he would do for the offseason, and that included bringing back one player in particular, even though he's not the first name that fans think of in this situation.

"SIGN HEYWARD: Not that one. Connor Heyward," Kaboly said. "He’s too valuable on special teams (especially if Miles Killebrew is gone) and can be used in way too many roles to let him walk. Now, I wouldn’t be tossing a ton of money at him, but two years for $3 million is fair, and that’s something that can get done now."

Utility man Connor Heyward has taken a lot of flak, as fans have speculated that he is only on the team due to the fact that his older brother is defensive captain Cameron Heyward. However, Kaboly sees a special teams ace that can take over as the primary guy in all four phases of that area. If this new regime loves special teamers like the last one, he will be a priority to bring back for the Steelers. 

Miles Killebrew, the special teams captain, went down with a non-contact knee injury in Week 6, and all indications say that the Steelers are not bringing him back. He has put his house up for sale on the market and has moved out of Pittsburgh entirely. There is a need for a new captain, and with four years of experience in that phase almost exclusively, Heyward may be that guy. 

Heyward has had over 50% of the special teams snap counts in all four years of his NFL career, as well as 65% in three of them. Offensively, he saw a career-low in snaps with just 9% in 2026, as he only had three receptions and a touchdown catch. However, a new part of his game has been unlocked during the season, and it could lead to him getting more touches if he comes back for another year.

Steelers Know Heyward Was The Key To Solving 1 Big Issue

For many years, 3rd/4th and short situations were almost always failures for the Steelers. Their short-yardage game was insanely bad. However, they started running the "Tush Push" with Heyward taking the snap and plunging forward. That was almost always successful, and even the fakes ran great, when he handed it off to Kenneth Gainwell. It became almost a staple of the offense for a while. 

Heyward had 15 total rushing attempts, although not all of them were tush pushes. He had 43 yards, 11 first downs, and two touchdowns whenever he had the ball. He made it work, and the Steelers suddenly became great at short-yardage situations again. What's even better for them is that no team has put in a proposal to ban it in 2026. It's here to stay, and Heyward can keep getting these key first downs. 

What do you think about the Steelers re-signing Heyward for the 2026 season and beyond? How much would you want to sign him for? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

#SteelerNation