Tyler Boyd signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers seemed like a sure thing at the start of free agency. Things don’t seem as clear-cut now, however, with the former Cincinnati Bengals receiver still unsigned.
So, what’s the reason for the holdup? Money, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Post-Gazette. The Steelers don’t know whether they want to pay a potential third receiver $8-$9 million per season, per the report (via 93.7 The Fan).
Along with the Steelers, Boyd has also received interest from the Chiefs and the Jets. But the Chiefs just signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. The Jets recently came to terms with veteran Mike Williams. In the meantime, Boyd continues to be unsigned, and the Steelers are still looking to sign a receiver to team up with George Pickens, Calvin Austin III and recently-acquired Van Jefferson.
Money aside, Boyd is clearly interested in joining the Steelers. A Pittsburgh native who starred at the University of Pittsburgh, Boyd recently spoke about the possibility of joining his hometown team.
“You never know,” Boyd told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “I love Coach [Mike] Tomlin. He’s probably one of the realest dudes in the sports business. Obviously, I played at Pitt, and I had a lot of run-ins with him and talked to him just about football. His personality is more like a father figure. It’s a great connection, but who knows? Even if I don’t go after this year, I could do a one-year deal at the end of my career and maybe finish up, but who knows.”
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For the most part, Boyd signing with Pittsburgh makes sense. The Steelers are in the market for a new slot receiver after parting ways with Allen Robinson II and trading Dionate Johnson to the Carolina Panthers.
A former No. 1 receiver in Cincinnati, Boyd posted consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2018 and 2019. He accepted a smaller role in in 2020 when the Bengals drafted Tee Higgins in the second round, and then drafted Ja’Marr Chase a year later with the fifth overall pick.
Instead of complaining, Boyd embraced his new role, which in turn helped the Bengals go from one of the league’s worst teams to one of the best seemingly overnight. In 2021, he caught 67 passes for 828 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season while helping the Bengals reach the Super Bowl. Over the past two seasons, he caught a combined 125 passes for 1,429 yards and seven touchdowns.
If he signs with Pittsburgh, Boyd will would join an offense that includes three-time 1,000-yard running back Najee Harris, fellow running back Jaylen Warren, wideout George Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth. The offense will be run by Russell Wilson, who will be backed up by Justin Fields.
The Steelers have the money to sign Boyd, but it’s clear that they have a method to their madness when it comes to how they’re using their money. Pittsburgh wants to continue to add pieces to its roster via free agency, which is obviously influencing their contract talks with Boyd.
2024-03-20 20:20:58
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