Khan: No Steelers Extensions on Horizon after Highsmith Deal

UNITY TWP., Pa. — Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan has been hard at work in negotiations, getting new contracts done for outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and rookie cornerback Joey Porter, Jr. in the final week before the official start of the team’s training camp at St. Vincent College on Thursday.

Now, he might take a break.

Khan said on Thursday that the Steelers don’t have any current negotiations on the table when it comes to players on the roster, something that has been uncommon over the last few years.

After Steelers locked up Highsmith, the team’s next highest-profile free agent for the spring of 2024 is cornerback Levi Wallace. The Steelers have done most of that work in the past few summers, handing out long-term contract extensions to players like Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Diontae Johnson and T.J. Watt.

Johnson and Watt had their contract negotiations stretch into training camp, causing them to miss valuable practice time. That didn’t happen with Highsmith.

“We’re happy we got it done when we did,” Khan said. 

Those deals, plus a young offense, mean the Steelers have scant few contracts left to negotiate.

“Right now, there’s nothing going on,” Khan said. “We’re not going to close the door on anything, but right now, I can tell you there’s nothing.”

Khan also said he’s comfortable with where the Steelers stand in relation to the salary cap. The Steelers have about $11 million in current cap space, though much of that will be taken up by necessary moves between now and the start of the season.

The Steelers can clear significant cap space by renegotiating one of those previous long-term contracts, with Watt able to reduce his cap hit by over $12 million alone.

Khan said the team will go into the season with a buffer in case they need to make in-season moves, but he said the actual figure depends on the team’s level of flexibility with players on the roster.