Are the Steelers in Trouble with Expiring Contracts in 2025?

What do Pittsburgh Steelers' Cam Heyward, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, Russell Wilson, Dan Moore Jr, and Justin Fields have in common?

All six of them are heading into the season with an expiring contract. The Steelers have always had a self-imposed rule of not negotiating contracts during the season.  That means if the Steelers do not extend these contracts by next Sunday, they will be playing in the final year of their contracts presumably until after the season.

Harris has rushed for over 1,000 yards in his first three years. Earlier this offseason, the team declined to pick up his fifth-year option making this season the last on his rookie deal.

If Harris eclipses the mark again, he could get a new lucrative deal following the season, but it won’t necessarily come from Pittsburgh.

Heyward is one of the league's best interior defensive linemen. He struggled through injuries last year and returns this season healthy. He has expressed publicly on multiple occasions that he wants to finish his career in the Steel City and a return to his old form will probably make that happen.

Freiermuth, the Steelers ' tight end, has been coming into his own and hopes to have a breakout year in this offense. He was hopeful his extension would get done, but nothing so far.

The other three, Moore, Wilson and Fields, will most likely have to wait until after the season. Moore is likely on his way out with Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones looking like the future tackles on this team.

Wilson and Fields' next contracts will 100 percent depend on how they perform this season.

Ultimately, the Steelers are in a contract pickle with these players. If nothing happens before the season, theoretically none of them would be on the team next year.

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That’s currently five starters and a backup quarterback. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next week before the Steelers open their season on the road at the Atlanta Falcons.

Deadlines make deals.