PITTSBURGH — Cam Heyward and Chris Boswell are certainly allowed to ask or make their contract demands known. But it doesn't mean the Steelers have to budge — nor should they, at least when it comes to potentially signing both to new deals.

The fact both are unhappy with their current agreements, leaked to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday, caught many of us by surprise, in large part because Boswell never does a ton this early and Heyward has mostly been around and active, the Steelers seemingly saving his 36-year-old body.

The reaction to their demands also surprised me.

While more often than not, players have fan sentiment on their side, that's not my sense here. Most don't want to hear it. They're already peeved over a lack of playoff success, Heyward just did this last offseason and it doesn't feel like the outside desire is for the Steelers to cave.

It's a fascinating discussion of leverage and precedent, though my guess is it ends in predictable fashion: the Steelers moving some money around to make Heyward and Boswell happy, ensuring this all goes away.

I'm fine with that. But nothing more.

Example: Does every Steelers player who outperforms his contract now have the right to ask for more money? Obviously not. But that's seemingly what Heyward and Boswell want the Steelers to do.

They're among the best in the NFL at their positions, so it's on the Steelers to change that regardless of whether they're up for a new deal or not?

Umm, no.

And that seems to be the consensus among Steelers fans: Focus more on improving the run defense or scoring points and less about what long ago became wealth none of us can comprehend.

Hard to say fans are wrong for feeling that way.

I also understand the players' perspective.

At least in Heyward's case, his career could end with a single hit. They play a violent, dangerous game, and there's ample risk involved. All professional athletes also hold the best and most powerful cards; they can do something most others can't.

To some end, they have leverage. But there should be a limit.

If you're up for a contract, by all means, turn the screws. Get paid. Few fans would begrudge you for that. However, it's not a yearly ritual. It's also not the Steelers' problem if you dislike the contract you signed just last year, which seems to be the case for Heyward.

Heyward could've declined the three-year extension, bet on himself and cashed in on an All-Pro season. We've seen what free agent interior defensive linemen make — many north of $20 million — and Heyward probably could have been one of those guys.

He chose the safety and security of staying, which was also a perfectly logical decision. But you can't have both.

Though it's too late now, the solution was probably to negotiate something loaded with incentives based on tackles, sacks or postseason accolades.

I also don't expect the Steelers to tell Heyward and Boswell "tough" and move on. They're too talented and productive, and this shouldn't become a contentious situation.

If anything, it shouldn't have become a situation, period.

I know why it benefits Heyward and Boswell to have this out there, theoretically pressuring the organization, but I'm not sure they're winning in the court of public opinion. They might actually be losing — badly.

The solution should have been approaching the Steelers privately, pointing out the inequity in their performance compared to the rest of the league and how they're paid and finding a reasonable path forward.

That should not include a completely new deal because it would break precedent, where the Steelers don't negotiate with non-quarterbacks who have multiple years left. I'm actually only halfway on whether the team should do anything.

If they took a hard-line stance with Heyward and Boswell, I'm not sure how upset anyone could be with that.

But I do get Boswell being the lowest-paid kicker in the AFC North and 11th among players at his position with an average yearly salary of $5 million and wanting that to look different.

The same for Heyward, who's ranked 22nd among interior defensive linemen at $14.5 million.

They're better players than that, but the same is true for Patrick Mahomes (tied for 14th among quarterbacks with a $45 million average salary), as well as countless other players who've outperformed their current deals.

I get both guys wanting greater compensation and I'll never begrudge a professional athlete for trying to make every dollar possible. But no team can afford to renegotiate with everyone who outperforms their current deal.

I also don't blame fans — who have their own economic issues and probably aren't cheering over concession prices at Acrisure Stadium — for rolling their eyes or growing frustrated.

The whole thing just feels silly at this point. The regular season is still weeks away, and already it feels like the Steelers have suffered their first loss.

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