Steelers' Top Contract Extension Priorities Entering Training Camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers took care of their major offseason contract business when they inked Minkah Fitzpatrick to a four-year, $73 million deal.

With Fitzpatrick's contract extension talk in the rearview mirror, the Steelers need to focus on two key parts of their offense and special teams for the next round of contract talks.

Diontae Johnson and Chris Boswell are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2023. The Steelers would be wise to look into extended deals before they hit the market.

Johnson's value has a chance to soar in 2022 because he could be the top target for rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett. Johnson could become a more reliable option than Chase Claypool and command No. 1 wideout cash.

Boswell has been one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL during his career, and it would make sense for all parties to extend his deal at some point in the next few months.

Najee Harris will not be leaving the franchise any time soon, but the Steelers could try to extend and restructure his contract to pay him more, especially if he has another strong season.

Pittsburgh has the 10th-most salary cap space in the NFL, per Spotrac, so there is some room to dish out money to current players.

Diontae Johnson

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 03: Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) is announced during the game against the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 03, 2022 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Diontae Johnson should be the next Steelers player to receive a contract extension.

Johnson enters 2022 in the last year of his rookie contract. He is scheduled to make $2.7 million this season, per Spotrac.

Johnson is expected to be Pittsburgh's top target for rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett.

He could reach career bests in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns in 2022 if everything works out with the first-year signal-caller.

Johnson proved he could increase his production in 2021 when he had 107 receptions, 1,161 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, all of which were career bests.

Johnson set a high bar for himself in 2022 with those numbers, but he could get there again if he plays all 17 games.

Pittsburgh should intend to keep its No. 1 wideout for another contract so that it allows Pickett and Johnson to build chemistry over years.

The Steelers should try to get a Johnson deal done before the end of the season, because if they do not, they could risk losing him on the open market after another huge season.

Chris Boswell

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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 09: Chris Boswell #9 of the Pittsburgh Steelers kicks the game winning field goal in overtime in the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)

Kicker is one of the positions in the NFL that you do not mess around with.

Once you find a reliable kicker, you should keep him for as long as you can.

Chris Boswell enters his eighth season with the Steelers with a 94.3 extra point percentage and an 88.3 field goal percentage.

Boswell made over 90 percent of his field goals in each of the last three seasons, and he was 8-for-9 from 50 yards or longer in 2021.

Boswell is scheduled to make $3.2 million during the 2022 season. He made slightly over $3 million in 2021.

The highest average salary for a kicker in the NFL is $5 million, which belongs to Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, per Spotrac.

The Steelers could aim to make Boswell one of the top-five-paid kickers in the NFL, which would require a contract of at least $4 million per season.

Boswell has proved that he deserves another deal in Pittsburgh, and that should get done barring an awful bit of regression in 2022.

Najee Harris

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PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 25: Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) takes part in a drill during the team's OTA practice on May 25, 2022, at the Steelers Practice Facility in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The top 19 running backs on the salary chart in the NFL make on average over $5 million, per Spotrac.

Najee Harris' rookie contract will not exceed $2.5 million per season. He is slated to make $1.2 million in 2022.

If Harris develops into one of the top running backs in the NFL in 2022, it would not be out of the question for the player to demand a higher pay rate given the short life span of running backs in the NFL.

Harris needs more than just one 1,000-yard season to justify any type of contract negotiations, but the expectations for him are that he will hit the 1,000-yard threshold in 2022.

If that is the case, Harris and the Steelers should sit down and work out a deal that pays the franchise running back better.

Pittsburgh may be reluctant to extend Harris after two years of his rookie contract, but if his totals outperform the contract, they will need to offer a better deal to give him financial stability for the coming years.