Steelers: What the Jalen Hurts extension means for Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles call the keystone state of Pennsylvania home, but the two cities and franchises have little in common outside of that. But now that the Eagles have signed quarterback Jalen Hurts to a massive contract extension, the Steelers could feel the deal's effect within their division and on their own […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles call the keystone state of Pennsylvania home, but the two cities and franchises have little in common outside of that.
But now that the Eagles have signed quarterback Jalen Hurts to a massive contract extension, the Steelers could feel the deal's effect within their division and on their own team.
Let's examine what the contract means for the present, but more importantly, for the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Per multiple reporters of NFL Media, the Philadelphia Eagles have signed rising star and now franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts to the biggest deal in the history of the NFL.
Those are big figures for the talented player, once thought of as nothing more than a career backup, with a low ceiling in terms of his NFL projection.
Hurts has proven many wrong, including myself, showing that his character and work ethic could elevate his game to places you would never imagine based on his college tape and early years in the NFL.
So credit to Hurts, but the impact of his deal may be a double-edged sword for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On one hand, this makes the asking price for Lamar Jackson start at a potentially new and even higher number, continuing the circus that has been the Ravens' offseason, and continuing to cloud the future of the Baltimore franchise.
But on the other, this could foreshadow a potential deal that Kenny Pickett covets, meaning the team will need to focus on winning now.
The Eagles were obviously planning for this scenario, letting Javon Hargrave and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson walk in free agency, not to mention guard Isacc Seumalo who joined the Steelers on a three-year deal.
Those were three key starters in what was an NFC championship-winning season for the Eagles, one that saw them come up just short of their ultimate goal of hoisting a Lombardi trophy.
What today's news shows, is that the best deal in all of sports is the viable quarterback on a rookie deal.
Meaning, you can build the team around your young signal caller, while he develops with the intent of winning the big one before his payday comes.
And while that's easier said than done, it's a proven path to success, with the Steelers themselves last winning championships when "Big Ben" was in the infancy of his career.
Today's deal proves that time is of the essence, and makes next week's draft all that more important.
The offense is one or two linemen away from being one of the best in the league, meaning the next two years will be pivotal for the development of Pickett and the success of the franchise.
So now's the time to see if Pickett is the real deal, and if so, the Steelers need to make the most of it, before the Brinks trucks start backing up.
