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Good news indeed, we were discussing this the past few days. I would love to see the Steelers extend Ju-Ju and Connor after their respective 3rd season, much like the did to Tuitt. he deserves every penney and more.
James Conner (https://247sports.com/Player/James-Conner-1795
's breakout season is going to get even better. Along with helping the Steelers stack up five consecutive wins while making the most of his opportunity as Pittsburgh's new starting running back, Conner is also in line to receive a pretty nice bonus at the end of the 2018 season. Conner, who is slated to make $578,000 this season, is in line to nearly double his salary when he receives his performance based pay at the end of the season.
Performance based pay was created in the NFL's 2002 collective bargaining agreement with its players association to reward players who outperform their contracts. Typically, the players who receive performance based pay are players who are younger and working for relatively minimum pay. Conner, who is in the middle of a rookie contract that would pay him $3,161,523, falls under that category.
The Steelers have had several players receive performance based pay in recent seasons. Following the 2016 season, Alejandro Villanueva (https://247sports.com/Player/Alejandro-Villanueva-86247), who made $480 in salary that season, received $401,652.46 in performance based pay from the NFL after helping Pittsburgh advance to that year's AFC Championship Game. Ross Cockrell (https://247sports.com/Player/Ross-Cockrell-29843), who signed with the Steelers after being released by the Bills just before the start of the 2015 season, received $352,620.70 in performance based salary after the 2016 season. Cockrell was ultimately released before the start of the 2017 season, while Villanueva was further rewarded that offseason with a four-year, $24 million deal that included a $6,500,000 signing bonus, $6,500,000 guaranteed.
Conner, who may double his salary when he receives his performance based pay this offseason, is deserving of every penny he receives this season. After receiving just 32 carries as a rookie, Conner has toted the rock 164 times this season for 771 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Conner's 10 touchdowns are the most in franchise history by a Pittsburgh player during the first nine games of a season. He's also only the eighth player in Steelers' history (and seventh running back) to rush for at least 10 touchdowns in a season.
While the Steelers knew Conner was a talented runner, he's also proven his worth as a receiver as well as a pass blocker. Along with helping keep Ben Roethlisberger (https://247sports.com/Player/Ben-Roethlisberger-75953) clean in the pocket, Conner has been a consistent weapon for Big Ben in the passing game, with 39 receptions for 387 yards and a touchdown. All told, Conner has amassed 1,158 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns this season while averaging 129 all-purpose yards per game.
Not only has Conner, the AFC's reigning Offensive Player of the Month, produced on the field for the 6-2-1 Steelers, he's also endeared himself to his teammates, specifically his teammates on the offensive line.
"Oh, hell yeah," Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey (https://247sports.com/Player/Maurkice-Pouncey-53891) said when asked if he expects Conner's recent run of success to continue, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler (http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/29107/james-conners-numbers-hard-to-ignore-with-or-without-leveon). "He’s so young, his body is recovering fast."
James Conner (https://247sports.com/Player/James-Conner-1795
's breakout season is going to get even better. Along with helping the Steelers stack up five consecutive wins while making the most of his opportunity as Pittsburgh's new starting running back, Conner is also in line to receive a pretty nice bonus at the end of the 2018 season. Conner, who is slated to make $578,000 this season, is in line to nearly double his salary when he receives his performance based pay at the end of the season. Performance based pay was created in the NFL's 2002 collective bargaining agreement with its players association to reward players who outperform their contracts. Typically, the players who receive performance based pay are players who are younger and working for relatively minimum pay. Conner, who is in the middle of a rookie contract that would pay him $3,161,523, falls under that category.
The Steelers have had several players receive performance based pay in recent seasons. Following the 2016 season, Alejandro Villanueva (https://247sports.com/Player/Alejandro-Villanueva-86247), who made $480 in salary that season, received $401,652.46 in performance based pay from the NFL after helping Pittsburgh advance to that year's AFC Championship Game. Ross Cockrell (https://247sports.com/Player/Ross-Cockrell-29843), who signed with the Steelers after being released by the Bills just before the start of the 2015 season, received $352,620.70 in performance based salary after the 2016 season. Cockrell was ultimately released before the start of the 2017 season, while Villanueva was further rewarded that offseason with a four-year, $24 million deal that included a $6,500,000 signing bonus, $6,500,000 guaranteed.
Conner, who may double his salary when he receives his performance based pay this offseason, is deserving of every penny he receives this season. After receiving just 32 carries as a rookie, Conner has toted the rock 164 times this season for 771 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Conner's 10 touchdowns are the most in franchise history by a Pittsburgh player during the first nine games of a season. He's also only the eighth player in Steelers' history (and seventh running back) to rush for at least 10 touchdowns in a season.
While the Steelers knew Conner was a talented runner, he's also proven his worth as a receiver as well as a pass blocker. Along with helping keep Ben Roethlisberger (https://247sports.com/Player/Ben-Roethlisberger-75953) clean in the pocket, Conner has been a consistent weapon for Big Ben in the passing game, with 39 receptions for 387 yards and a touchdown. All told, Conner has amassed 1,158 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns this season while averaging 129 all-purpose yards per game.
Not only has Conner, the AFC's reigning Offensive Player of the Month, produced on the field for the 6-2-1 Steelers, he's also endeared himself to his teammates, specifically his teammates on the offensive line.
"Oh, hell yeah," Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey (https://247sports.com/Player/Maurkice-Pouncey-53891) said when asked if he expects Conner's recent run of success to continue, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler (http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/29107/james-conners-numbers-hard-to-ignore-with-or-without-leveon). "He’s so young, his body is recovering fast."