The gang’s — still — all here.
As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to lock up top talents, the team reached an agreement Thursday with All-Pro guard David DeCastro that will keep him wearing the black and gold through the 2021 season.
DeCastro’s new contract is a six-year, $50 million extension with a $16 million signing bonus. The deal was first reported by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
DeCastro, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2012 out of Stanford University, was in the final year of a five-year contract.
The Steelers have locked up much of their offensive line in the past two years (see: Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert and Ramon Foster), so a deal for DeCastro makes sense. He’s coming off his best season — he was a first-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2015 — and has only missed one game (out of a potential 51 games) after sitting most of the 2012 season with a grotesque knee injury.
DeCastro’s stability is key for an ever-changing Steelers line, and his athleticism is a huge plus for the team. He’s an elite run blocker who is also strong in the pass rush and is just generally very smart and adaptable.
The deal makes DeCastro the NFL’s second-highest paid guard, behind the Oakland Raiders’ Kelechi Osemele. Osemele signed a five-year, $58.5 million deal in free agency.
Image credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
