Steelers Lock Up Miller for 6 More Years

The Steelers had a pretty lengthy to-do list for the offseason, but a little over a day before training camp starts, they've managed to check off nearly every key task.

The announcement that tight end Heath Miller has signed a six-year extension worth $35.3 million does a very good job of getting the Steelers ready for training camp. Since the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh has re-signed or extended the contracts of James Harrison, Chris Kemoeatu, Trai Essex, Max Starks, Heath Miller, Charlie Batch and Hines Ward assuring that most of the team that won last year's Super Bowl will be around for years to come. And they also managed to get all of their draft picks signed before training camp.

By re-signing Miller, the Steelers have ensured that they will keep a tight end that perfectly fits their system. He's caught 72 percent of the passes thrown his way and has proven to be an excellent red zone threat. But just as importantly, he's an excellent blocker. We don't know yet how much of his contract is guaranteed money, but it is worth noting that he is being paid well more than what the franchise tag for a tight end gets (which was $4.46 million this past offseason)

Tight end has not been one of the Steelers' strengths throughout the years (the team practically ignored ever throwing to a tight end in the 1980s), but ever since the Steelers drafted Miller, they've had the reliable dual threat they had been missing since Eric Green left.

This may not be the Steelers' last move. Pittsburgh has also been rumored to be working on getting new deals done with safety Ryan Clark and kicker Jeff Reed, but considering how many significant players were either free agents or heading into the final year of their current deals, it's been a very productive offseason.

Pittsburgh still has Clark, Casey Hampton, Reed, Brett Keisel and Willie Parker left as starters who are heading into the final year of their contract, but in the case of Keisel and Parker, Pittsburgh already has potential replacements on the roster while in Hampton's case there seems to be some reluctance to talk contract extension until the Steelers see if he shows up to camp in shape. Last year he was forced to sit out some of camp to lose some excess pounds.