PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) One of, if not the best player still available in the NFL free agency pool and the Steelers continue to be involved in the discussion.
Steelers fans have been foaming at the mouth for Tyrann Mathieu to sign with Pittsburgh, but that dream may stay a dream.
While there is a chance the Steelers swing for the fences and sign the Honey Badger, NFL insider Jordan Schultz says he wouldn’t bet on it.
“I would not bet on the Steelers to sign him,” Schultz told the PM Team on Wednesday. “I’ve said since day one that they are in it… To me New Orleans makes the most sense.”
Schultz believes that the Steelers No. 1 priority for the safety position should be to lock up Minkah Fitzpatrick to a new contract before making a decision on another safety.
“Pittsburgh has to make a decision… With Minkah Fitzpatrick that he needs to be the highest paid defensive back in the league.”
Fitzpatrick is one of the elite safeties in the NFL and if the Steelers are able to could make him one of the highest paid players in his position, much like they did with T.J. Watt.
There is only so much cap space for the Steelers to spend and the odds are they won’t be able to afford both Fitzpatrick and Mathieu.
Schultz did also say that Mathieu is probably a week or so away from coming to a conclusion on a deal and new team.
The list of teams sits at around a half dozen and the Steelers are in the running but they sit as a middling team on that list.
“I think they are somewhere in the middle,” Schultz said. “Third or fourth. I would not bet on the Steelers.”