Aug 10, 2016 5 min read

LATROBE – Lawrence Timmons and Mike Tomlin will forever be linked in Steelers history.

Timmons was Tomlin’s first draft pick when he took over as the team’s head coach in 2007, and his teammates joke Timmons is like a son to Tomlin.

But 10 years into his career, the sun might be setting on Timmons’ time with the Steelers.

The former Pro Bowl inside linebacker is heading into the final year of his contract, and the Steelers might be ready to move on.

Timmons will make $8.75 million in 2016 but has a salary cap value of $15.1 million, thanks to restructurings he has done to help the team with the salary cap.

The Steelers have a few more weeks to sign the 30-year-old linebacker to an extension that will lower his cap hit and keep him in Pittsburgh beyond this season. Or they could let him play out the season at that contract figure, which is second only to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers have a policy they will not negotiate with players once the regular season begins.

Signing him after this season might get complicated.

At issue for the Steelers is whether they believe Timmons will be a valuable contributor in the future.

Timmons would like to stay in Pittsburgh and the team would like to keep him – at the right cost. Sources say there have been some talks, but it’s been slow going.

“You really love to have players who want to be a part of their organization for their entire career,” said Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert. “You hope that you can get that done. So that’s a big plus when you have two sides that have the same goal. It’s usually more easily attained but it doesn’t make it a foregone conclusion.”

Part of the reason for Colbert’s cautionary statement is Timmons’ performance last season. While he played in all 16 regular season games – he’s missed just two in his career – his tackle total fell from 141 in 2014 to 119. That total still led the team and he did have five sacks and an interception, but a turf toe injury suffered in the preseason hampered him for much of the season.

Timmons also turned over defensive play calling duties to fellow inside linebacker Ryan Shazier, whom he also gave way to in the nickel and dime defenses on passing downs.

Timmons bristled Wednesday at the team’s training camp at Saint Vincent College when asked if he was in Colbert’s shoes if he would re-sign himself.

“What type of question is that?” Timmons asked.

But the Steelers have another inside linebacker, Vince Williams, who also is heading into his final season under contract and even Timmons admits the 26-year-old Williams, who has started 13 games in his previous three seasons and been used as a run-stopper, might be ready to take on a bigger role.

“I’m not a general manager, but I would start him,” Timmons said.

That’s not going to happen in Pittsburgh, at least not this season, with Timmons and Shazier in place unless there’s an injury to one of the two.

Timmons realizes he’s getting up in age. As a nod to that, he dropped five pounds during the offseason to improve his quickness. He’s listed at 234 pounds but has played in the 250-pound range the past few seasons.

“I feel like I’m still 25, but I’ve been here 10 years. I’m 30 now,” Timmons said. “It’s a beautiful thing to be part of the NFL that long.

“As you get older, it’s not all about power and speed, it’s about the mental aspect. I feel like that’s the part of my game that I’ve picked up.”

But will that veteran experience be enough to convince the Steelers he still has enough left to stick around another three or four years?

They signed former Pro Bowl inside linebacker James Farrior to a third contract when his time came, allowing him to play into his mid-30s because they felt his knowledge of the game and experience would hold up.

Timmons believes he’s still got plenty of football ahead of him.

“Yes, I believe so,” he said. “Like anything, the more you do it, the better you are. If you do something for 10 years, of course you’re going to be good at it.”

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said several starters, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running backs Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, center Maurkice Pouncey and wide receiver Antonio Brown, will not play in Friday’s preseason opener at Heinz Field against Detroit. … Tomlin would not name a starting quarterback for the game but Landry Jones is expected to get the start over Bruce Gradkowski. … Tomlin also said receiver Markus Wheaton, cornerback Artie Burns, linebacker Travis Feeney and defensive lineman Roy Philon are not expected to play against the Lions. … Bell got into a fight at Wednesday’s joint practice with the Lions with Detroit linebacker Josh Bynes, hitting Bynes with an open hand to the facemask before the two were separated by a number of teammates.