The Pittsburgh Steelers do not currently have a starting strong safety. Pro Bowl strong safety Tyrann Mathieu is on the market still. See the fit? So do we. Are the Steelers willing to pay Mathieu enough to come to Pittsburgh? That is the burning question left to be answered.
We know Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin know that Mathieu is a solid player, and would be a fit beside All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick. They're not dumb. They'd also love to have JC Jackson, Chandler Jones, and Von Miller too, but it just isn't possible. Some will say that Mathieu isn't possible either, but he is, and here's why:
Mathieu's past contracts (rookie deal not included):
Arizona Cardinals 2016 (extension) - 5 years, $64 million - released two years into contract prior to 2018 season
Houston Texans 2018 - 1 year, $7 million - played out and left Houston
Kansas City Chiefs 2019 - 3 years, $42 million - played out contract
Mathieu, like all NFL players, are always looking for that next big contract until it isn't possible anymore. And even then they still are chasing it. Can't blame them though because some teams will still shell out the big dollars even when a player is nearing his twilight. That's why the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars of the world stay the same year in and year out.
If Mathieu was going to get the huge contract, it would've already happened. Safety Marcus Williams signed a 5 year, $70 million dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday. The premier safeties are still in the same neighborhood as 2016 when Mathieu received his large extension. That should show you how much the NFL thinks of safeties, especially when wide receiver Davante Adams just got $28 million per year yesterday. He's just not going to get a long term deal at his age.
So that set the top end of the market for this off-season for safeties. $14-$16 million per season. Hunter Smith signed a 4 year, $64 million dollar deal last year in Minnesota averaging $16 million per season. There's no doubt that Mathieu's agents are pushing for him to get at least $14 million per season, but it just isn't likely. Fellow stud Landon Collins is also on the market, and neither of them are going to see top end contracts.
The Steelers could easily offer $14 million under normal circumstances, but the outlier is the fact that they still have to sign their own outstanding safety in Fitzpatrick. He's entering the final year of his contract, and it's believed that he's the number one priority for the Steelers once the draft has concluded. The Steelers likely want to give Fitzpatrick a similar deal to that of Williams in Baltimore. That's at the $14 million spot. They just can't feasibly give Mathieu more than they want to give Fitzpatrick and bid against themselves for him. Giving him the same amount per year leaves a good argument for Fitzpatrick's agent. Fitzpatrick is several years younger, and a former All-Pro selection.
The Steelers would have to continue to step out of their normal business structure if they want to get Mathieu into Pittsburgh. They might have to outbid a team with guaranteed money, which they never do, or really pile on the incentives.
They could offer him 3 years, $39 million with incentives that get it up to $50 million. If his market is cold, which there's no indication that it is, that could be the number that gets him to town. Basically, you better be saying your prayers before bed about him coming to town, and trying to speak it into existence. (BTW am I doing that right?)
Or they can just re-sign Terrell Edmunds. But Honey Badger sounds a lot better.
