The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t yet in a position to hand out extensions to members of their 2024 draft class, but a significant deal elsewhere in the league may have already given them a glimpse of what one future negotiation could cost.
The New York Jets made that picture clearer on Monday when they signed Joe Tippmann to a four-year, $66.4 million extension that includes $34.9 million in guaranteed money. While the deal secures one of their young offensive linemen, it also establishes a new benchmark that could directly affect Mason McCormick’s value when his turn arrives.
Tippmann entered the league a year before McCormick and has developed into a reliable starter, even without Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition. His new contract carries an average annual value of $16.6 million, placing him among the NFL’s higher-paid guards and raising the floor for similar players approaching extension talks.
For the Steelers, that’s where McCormick enters the conversation.
Pittsburgh won’t need to address his contract until the 2027 offseason, but the comparison is difficult to ignore. McCormick’s early career trajectory closely mirrors Tippmann’s, and in some areas, he has already produced comparable results.
Tippmann finished the 2025 season with a 66.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus after posting a 73.4 mark the year before. McCormick, meanwhile, earned a 72.9 grade last season, ranking 17th among NFL guards. Their similarities extend beyond production. Both are physically imposing interior linemen with nearly identical size profiles and reputations for bringing a physical, aggressive edge to the position.
Though Tippmann has experience at both center and guard, he is expected to remain at right guard moving forward—the same position McCormick has occupied during his first two seasons in Pittsburgh.
Tippmann’s extension isn’t a market-shattering contract, but it sends a clear message. If McCormick continues his upward trajectory, the Steelers will likely need to exceed those numbers to secure him long term. What looked like a manageable future extension suddenly appears far more expensive.
