Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward is entering the final year of his current deal, and it is clearly bothering him.

Heyward skipped organized team activities because of his contract, and while he did attend mandatory minicamp, you can tell the uncertainty moving forward is still weighing on him.

So much so that Heyward would even consider joining a division rival.

“I have talked to my wife, and we know the reality, and we have had those talks, and she said it could be fun to play somewhere else,” Heyward said, via Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.

And where could that be? Potentially the Cleveland Browns.

“I still have family in Cleveland. My wife is from Cleveland,” Heyward said. “We will see. I am not trying to think about all that right now.”

But obviously he is thinking about it considering he is already making plans to consider the Browns next March. Or, perhaps Heyward is just saying this in an effort to try and scare the Steelers into giving him a new deal.

Whatever the case may be, these comments are one of the last things Pittsburgh fans want to hear out of Heyward’s mouth.

Is Cam Heyward Worth a New Deal From the Steelers?

The question is whether or not Heyward is worth an extension?

He just turned 35 years old, and he is coming off of an injury-plagued 2023 campaign in which he played 11 games and registered 33 tackles and a couple of sacks.

It marked the end of a stretch of six straight trips to the Pro Bowl for Heyward, and he also earned three First-Team All-Pro selections throughout that run.

It also could have been a sign that he is beginning to decline.

Heyward had previously been incredibly durable, having played full seasons in four of the previous five campaigns. He missed just two games during that span, with both absences coming in 2020.

But last year, he finally showed some signs of wear and tear, and he was not as productive as usual when he was on the field.

Obviously, the Steelers do not want to watch Heyward walk to a division rival. After all, the Ohio State product has spent his entire 13-year career in Pittsburgh. Not only that, but Heyward was born in Pittsburgh.

But if the Steelers are unwilling to give Cam Heyward what he wants, a split may be inevitable.

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