Steelers Opening Extension Talks With WR Antonio Brown & LB Lawrence Timmons

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports is reporting that the Steelers are beginning dialogue Monday regarding contract extensions for WR Antonio Brown, LB Lawrence Timmons, and an unnamed impending free agent.

This shouldn’t come as a big surprise, as recent reports have said that Brown and the Steelers were likely to discuss a long-term extension this offseason that could make the highest paid receiver in the NFL after over $15.5 million per year.

Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports recently reported that the Steelers have shown interest in re-signing Timmons, who could have “substantial” interest from other NFL teams if he reaches the open market.

Brown, 28, is a former sixth-round pick of the Steelers back in 2010. He’s currently in the fifth year of his six-year, $43.04 million contract that included an $8.5 million signing bonus and stands to make a base salary of $8.71 million for the 2017 season.

While the Steelers didn’t give Brown a new extension last year, they did restructure his contract last summer, which moved $4 million of his 2017 salary up to the 2016 season to reward him for his production.

In 2016, Brown appeared in 15 games for the Steelers and caught 106 passes for 1,284 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. Pro Football Focus rated Brown as the No. 3 wide receiver out of 119 qualifying players.

Timmons, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Steelers back in 2007. He’s spent all 10 seasons of his career in Pittsburgh and played out the final year of his six-year, $50 million contract.

Timmons is now in a position to test the open market next month as an unrestricted free agent.

In 2016, Timmons appeared in all 16 games for the Steelers and recorded 114 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and five pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 70 inside linebacker out of 87 qualifying players.

We have him featured in our Top 100 – 2017 Free Agents list.