Steelers, Cortez Allen reach 4-year contract extension

PITTSBURGH – On the eve of their 2014 regular-season opener against the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers locked up fourth-year cornerback Cortez Allen to a four-year extension worth just north of $26 million, a person familiar with the deal told Paste BN Sports.

That person requested anonymity since the club has not announced details of the extension of one of its rising core players on a defense that got youger and faster this offseason. The last time the Steelers came to terms on the eve of a season was in 2011 with safety Troy Polamalu, who signed an extension at the airport before the team took off for its season opener.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2011 draft out of the Citadel, Allen started eight games last season with a personal-best 51 tackles, 41 solo, 14 passes defensed to go with two interceptions.

The clock was ticking since the Steelers have a hard and fast tradition of not negotiating deals once the regular season starts. Allen was due to become an unrestricted free agent in March if the Steelers didn't lock him up. He will average $6.15 million over the course of the deal, including an $8 million average in new money over the first two years.