With the Steelers experiencing some salary cap issues, it’s very possible we could see some players with restructured deals, and other players being cut.
The news that the Pittsburgh Steelers are once again having salary cap issues was disconcerting, but not surprising. The Steelers have had issues throughout the past couple of years, but as always, find a way to push through with restructured deals, and cutting players that are only taking up space.
While the news has caused slight panic amongst those hoping for a Super Bowl title next year, the Steelers have always been a team to focus on the draft, but it’s very possible, if the situation is handled correctly, the Steelers will have more than enough room to make at least a few decent moves during the free agency period.
But to create the opportunity to make moves in free agency, and basically free up some space in the cap, some moves will need to be made. It’s likely the Steelers will attempt to restructure the Ben Roethlisberger deal, but that might not be enough.
With the secondary already in shambles, it would hurt to lose one of the few contributing members of it. It’s hard to imagine the Steelers letting cornerback William Gay walk especially after a fairly productive season on his part.
Looking at the other cornerbacks on the list, Ross Cockrell showed flashes of potential, and Antwon Blake was great at creating some flash play turnovers, but overall, the both of them were riddled with mistakes and inconsistencies.
The Steelers are very fortunate not to be in a situation that a star player is leaving, but to make additions to the ailing secondary, and maybe fix some of the other issues that could be created by not resigning some offensive linemen, or any issue that may arise, cap space must be made.
The first solution is cutting cornerback Cortez Allen. Allen was given a 5 year, $26 million deal a few years back, and it just really hasn’t worked out. Allen is a totally inconsistent player, who barely sees the field anymore, and serves no purpose. The Steelers are actually paying him millions a year to sit on the bench.
Out of all the possible solutions, that’s the best one. There are very few players that are expendable on this team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so restructuring contracts would be the best route.
It’s highly unlikely, but even Lawrence Timmons and Heath Miller may not have a secure spot on the roster heading into next year.
Timmons has been a solid piece of the Steelers defense for years, and it would be horrible to see him go especially a year out of him finally reaching the Pro Bowl. The fact of the matter is that he has a $15.1 million cap number, which is outrageous for a player his age likely on his decline.
It’s likely that the Steelers will attempt to restructure his deal, because his contract alone is really taking a toll on the cap space for this offseason.
When it comes to Heath Miller, he’s a legend. He’s one of the great fan favorites in Pittsburgh, and he’s been the most reliable target Ben has had for years. With that being said, father time slowly taking his toll on Heath, and younger options are going to be preferred.
With no one quite ready to take the place of Miller, it’s hard to imagine that they’ll part with him, even if they plan to invest a high draft pick on a tight end, but it’s still a possibility.
It’ll definitely be important that the Steelers retain as many productive players as they can through restructuring deals, but don’t be totally shocked if a few Steelers are forced out. Only time will tell.