4 more Steelers not named Mike Tomlin who won't be back in 2024

3. Miles Killebrew is too expensive for a special teams ace

Steelers special teams ace Mile Killebrew made first-team All Pro this season, his first as a player. As much as I like Killebrew in Pittsburgh -- he's a rare, smart player you can trust on special teams -- that will likely make him expensive on the free-agent market. Killebrew has embraced being a team-first player, but now is his chance to receive a decent payday for a change.

"I've always been a teamer," said Killebrew. "I've always loved it. I've always had a soft spot for it. I wouldn't have even made it to college without special teams. My coach told me he never saw someone put kickoff for their first 10 plays on their highlight film and he said we've got to have you here. I've always enjoyed it. It's something I've always taken a lot of pride in. It's something I've always known I can be good at. When I got to the league it was right in step with what I'd been doing. I never had to change my mindset. It's something I have always loved."

Pittsburgh learned the hard way that spending too much on special teams can come back to haunt you. Former Patriots All-Pro Gunner Olszewski was in a similar position, and the Steelers spent $5 million per season on him. That was far too much, and by the end of his contract Olszewski couldn't be counted on.

Unlike Olszewski, Killebrew won't be asked to play receiver and thus likely won't receive a contract similar to Olszewski's, but it's still worth noting.