3 Contracts Steelers Must Prioritize in 2022 Offseason After Playoff Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a surprising push into the NFL postseason, but their miracle run came to an end Sunday night. The Kansas City Chiefs handed Pittsburgh a decisive 42-21 loss, sending the Steelers into the offseason.

The first order of business for Pittsburgh will be finding a replacement for longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The 39-year-old signal-caller hasn't announced his retirement, but it certainly feels imminent.

"I've been here a long time, and it's been a lot of fun," Roethlisberger said, per ESPN's Jeff Legwold.

However, finding a quarterback is only the tip of the iceberg as the Steelers look to regroup in 2022. With that in mind, let's take a look at three contract situations that need to be addressed early this offseason.

The Steelers have a tough decision to make on cornerback Joe Haden. The three-time Pro Bowler will turn 33 in April, and he wasn't as effective this season as he has been in past years.

After allowing an opposing passer rating below 76.0 in each of the previous three seasons, Haden conceded an opposing passer rating of 100.1 in 2021.

Yet it would make a ton of sense to retain Haden on a short-term contract. He's still a starting-caliber perimeter defender and one of Pittsburgh's defensive leaders. The Steelers have every reason to target a cornerback in the 2022 draft, but keeping Haden as a transitional piece should be a priority.

Despite missing five games this season, he still managed to play 78 percent of the defensive snaps. Teams can never have too many cornerbacks, and Haden is a reliable defender who can be counted on more often than not.

Pittsburgh doesn't necessarily have to commit to Haden for the long term, but it should lock him up for what is likely to be the first season of the post-Roethlisberger era.

Wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster is another 2022 free agent whom the Steelers should try to keep. A dangerous deep threat when he's at his best, Smith-Schuster amassed 831 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Back in 2018, Smith-Schuster made the Pro Bowl after an impressive 1,426-yard, seven-touchdown campaign.

This year, along with the rest of the Steelers offense, Smith-Schuster struggled, totaling only 15 catches and 129 yards in five games before being lost for the year to a shoulder injury. However, he battled back from to appear in Sunday's wild-card game.

Smith-Schuster caught five passes for 26 yards against the Chiefs.

Along with being a capable piece of the passing attack, Smith-Schuster also wants to remain in Pittsburgh.

"It would be nice to stay for another four years," Smith-Schuster said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra.

Smith-Schuster wants to be back, and his presence could help the Steelers' next quarterback significantly. Pittsburgh should look into getting a deal done before free agency kicks off March 16.

Unlike Haden and Smith-Schuster, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is not an impending free agent. The 2018 first-round pick, acquired via trade from the Miami Dolphins, is instead set to play on the fifth-year option in 2022.

However, the Steelers have little reason not to get an extension done now. Fitzpatrick has been a bona fide star since joining Pittsburgh in 2019, and he should be a long-term piece of the defensive puzzle.

Fitzpatrick was a Pro Bowler in both 2019 and 2020. While he didn't earn the honor this season, he was still tremendous on the back end. He finished the regular season with 124 tackles, seven passes defended, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

In coverage, Fitzpatrick allowed an opposing passer rating of only 81.2.

If the Steelers wait to extend Fitzpatrick, they run the risk of him souring on the franchise—a possibility if Pittsburgh cannot adequately replace Roethlisberger and consequently struggles.

Armed with a projected $42.7 million in cap space, Pittsburgh can afford to sign critical free agents and lock up Fitzpatrick for the long haul. It should because the safety has already proved his worth.

Cap and contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.