NFL Rumors: Maurkice Pouncey Extension Not In The Works For Pittsburgh Steelers
By Matt Shetler
One item of business that the Pittsburgh Steelers still need to tend to before the season begins is making a decision on whether they want to offer a contract extension to Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey.
Sep 8, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey (53) blocks at the line of scrimmage against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
However that is something that won’t likely happen any time soon.
After the Cleveland Browns matched the Jacksonville Jaguars offer sheet to center Alex Mack, both Pouncey and his brother Mike of the Miami Dolphins likely saw that as a starting point in their negotiations.
Pouncey made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in the league before tearing his ACL on the Steelers first drive of the season last year in their opener against the Tennessee Titans.
He is entering the final year of the contract he signed with the Steelers after Pittsburgh made him a first-round pick in 2010.
However, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, there haven’t been any talks about an extension at this point.
That could change in the upcoming months as the Steelers have a long-standing policy of not negotiating extensions during the regular season.
With about five months until the 2014 season begins, I would expect talks between the two sides to heat up around the time that training camp begins.
Although Pouncey has a history of injuries since he came into the league, he is still the anchor of the Steelers’ offensive line, one that I can’t see the organization allowing to walk away.