Steelers Get Hartwig's New Deal Finished Just In Time

Unlike most teams, the Steelers have a somewhat hard and fast rule that they don't negotiate contract extensions during the season. So when Pittsburgh wrapped up a new extension with Brett Keisel last week, there was a general feeling that Pittsburgh was done with new deals until after the season.

But apparently Steelers' negotiator Omar Kahn was keeping busy. Jim Wexell reported that they gave kicker Jeff Reed an offer that was rejected. But that just meant that the Steelers moved on to center Justin Hartwig, who signed a four-year, $10 million extension today, just two days before the season kicks off.

What has been remarkable about Keisel's and Hartwig's deals is how reasonable they are. At a time when a franchise defensive end earns just under $9 million, Keisel signed a five-year deal for just $18 million. And at a time when starting guards and centers are getting $7 million or more per year, Hartwig just signed a four-year deal for only $3 million more.

There should be some concern over how many players on the wrong side of 30 the Steelers have locked up recently (Keisel, Hartwig, James Harrison, James Farrior and Hines Ward). But many of these deals are structured so they don't carry a big salary cap hit down the road. Hartwig could serve as a reasonably priced backup center/guard in the final years of this new deal.

What is also apparent is the Steelers value continuity over potential when it comes to the offensive line. Hartwig, Max Starks and Trai Essex are extremely unlike to earn a spot in the Pro Bowl, but they do know the Steelers system, so the hope is that some of the communication issues that plagued the Steelers in 2008 will go away this year. Hartwig won't continue the Steelers' tradition of elite centers (Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson), but he is much better than Sean Mahan, the center he replaced.