Linebacker Jarvis Jones was the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2013 and the results of the 2016 draft will likely go a long way toward determining whether the team exercises their contract option on Jones for the 2017 season.
The deadline to enact the option falls on May 3 and Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert offered no hint about which way the Steelers are leaning in regard to Jones during a Monday press conference. He did say that the results of the draft will impact contract decisions for veteran members of the team, however.
“We won’t talk about specific contract-type issues, but I think it is safe to say once we get through the draft, it will affect how we do business with our veteran players from that point forward,” Colbert said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The Steelers followed up the Jones selection by taking linebackers Ryan Shazier and Bud Dupree in the first round of the last two drafts, so they will have several decisions to make at the position in the coming years. Jones, who would make over $8.3 million under the option, has 87 tackles and five sacks while playing in 36 games over his first three seasons.