After a few contract extensions and a load of dead money, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bad way financially.
There is reason for hope regarding the Steelers in 2019, and a lot of things to get excited about. However, cap space is not one of them.
Pittsburgh is in a very bad way financially. According to Over the Cap, they are currently 31st in the NFL in cap space with just over a million to spare.
Thanks to a few contract extensions from Ben Roethlisberger and Ramon Foster, and a fifth-year option for Bud Dupree, Pittsburgh on the fringe of running out of cap space.
However, these changes are minuscule compared to the dead money left on the table from the Antonio Brown trade. The Steelers are currently absorbing the 4th biggest dead money hit in the NFL – with over $26.6M counting against the cap this season.
With just $1.09M remaining in 2019, Pittsburgh no longer has the luxury of signing any free agent worth mentioning.
The Steelers could certainly use some help at free safety and tight end. A lot is riding on the health of players like Sean Davis and Vance McDonald this season. If they go down, Pittsburgh could be in a world of hurt at the safety and tight end positions.
Without reasonable money to sign some much needed depth, Pittsburgh would likely have to restructure and back-load a few contracts to make signing a free agent possible. This can sometimes get them into trouble down the road when the Steelers need to ditch a player (i.e. Antonio Brown).
If you were hoping for Pittsburgh to bring in Tre Boston or another notable free agent, don’t hold your breath. With an immense amount of dead cap in 2019, the Steelers roster is basically set this year.