Now that Minkah Fitzpatrick has a new contract in hand, it's obvious how the Steelers value the two-time All-Pro safety.
Fitzpatrick's deal, which averages $18.4 million per year, places him third in the team's salary cap structure behind T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward -- though Heyward's overall deal at $16.5 million per year -- was actually worth less per year at the time he signed it.
Because of a restructure last year that pushed some of Heyward's deal down the road, he counts $17.4 million against the team's salary cap this season, second only to Watt's $31.1-million hit.
Fitzpatrick's new deal actually lowered his 2022 cap hit to $8.124 million, down from the $10.6 it was at previously when the team picked up his fifth-year option.
That shows how the Steelers value those three players, as they'll remain the top three highest-paid Steelers in 2023, Watt at a $20 million base salary, Heyward at $15.85 million and Fitzpatrick at $14.25 million.
The next highest-paid Steelers player after those two in 2023? New guard James Daniels at a salary of $8.25 million. Linebacker Myles Jack then comes in at $8 million, while quarterback Mitch Trubisky has a 2023 base salary of $8 million.
That makes a statement regarding how the Steelers feel those three will play in 2022. Certainly the Steelers can get out from under any of those contracts. Daniels signed a three-year deal, while Jack and Trubisky are working on two-year contracts.
But the Steelers liked them enough that they gave them solid contracts, even though they were on shorter-term deals.
That was something of the norm across the league this year as all but the biggest deals handed out were for shorter terms. Players know the salary cap is going to go up substantially in coming years. So do teams.
It's beneficial for the players to sign shorter-term deals and hit free agency again, while the teams don't mind making those moves because it gives them greater freedom.
The players with the largest base salary after those top six are offensive tackle Chuks Okorafor at $6 million in 2023, then cornerbacks Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon at $4 million each.
Cam Sutton, who has the third-highest base salary this year behind Watt and Heyward at $4.5 million, will be an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2022 season.
Fitzpatrick, with his new deal lowering his 2022 salary to $4 million, is fourth, while Chris Boswell ($3.26 million), Devin Bush ($3.068 million), Mason Rudolph ($3 million) and Diontae Johnson ($2.79 million) are next.
It's an interesting salary structure. The Steelers have just two players this season, Watt and Heyward, who count more than $10 million against this year's cap.
Contrast that to the Browns, for example, who have four -- Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Jack Conklin and Deshaun Watson -- and you see the difference. Two of those players -- Mayfield and Watson -- are quarterbacks, neither of whom might play a down for the Browns this season.
That gap widens even more in 2023 as the Browns have eight players scheduled to make more than $10 million, including Watson at $54.99 million and Garrett at $29.17 million.
The Bengals also have eight, including quarterback Joe Burrow at $11.1 million, though you'd better believe Burrow will want a new deal after this season that will include a substantial raise.
The Ravens, meanwhile, are built more like the Steelers, with just four players who count more than $10 million against their salary cap in 2022 and four in 2023, as well.
It's one reason why both the Steelers and Ravens are typically competitive year in and year out, while the Bengals and Browns rise and fall like the tide.
Even with Fitzpatrick's new deal, the Steelers are estimated to have $29 million in cap space in 2023. And that's only if the cap comes in at $218 million. There are many estimates that say it will come in much higher than that.
The Steelers also built the contracts for Watt and Fitzpatrick so they can easily create additional cap space if needed.
After decades of being tight against the cap, the Steelers have set themselves up to have financial flexibility under the cap for the next few years. And that's never a bad thing.