Reporters watched Heyward participate in individual practice periods, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after the session that the star lineman also participated in team drills.

However, there aren’t many downsides to the Steelers giving Heyward a pay bump. It’s a good look to reward one of the team’s top defensive players over the past decade-plus, and with over $35 million in top-51 cap space, they have plenty of room to make the financial details work.