Steelers projected to have very little cap space in 2020

The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization that likes to spend money. Here’s why they are projected to have very little cap space next season.

One of the benefits of being a Steelers fan is knowing that that the Rooney family will allow their front office to spend money. Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin make sure to do so every season.

Pittsburgh likes to spend right up to the cap year in and year out to make sure their teams are always competitive. One of the repercussions of continually handing out contracts is losing money in the future.

As of now, the Steelers are projected to have the 3rd least amount of cap space in the NFL heading into the 2020 season:

This is never an encouraging sign – especially for an organization that is just 2-4 coming out of the bye week. With practically all of the team’s money already tied up next season, the Steelers are in a very tough situation.

Even with Bud Dupree’s massive $9.2 million cap number coming off the books next year, the Steelers will have just $3.4 million in spending money, according to Over the Cap.

Part of the reason for this financial hardship is handing out money to players who are not currently contributing. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was awarded a massive $91 million contract that has him tied up with the team through 2021. His cap hit next year accounts for nearly 17 percent of Pittsburgh’s total cap being used. Unfortunately, his $26 million this year is being wasted as he rehabs from elbow surgery.

Likewise, the Steelers are still paying on Antonio Brown. Despite being with two other football teams since leaving Pittsburgh, Brown still accounts for $21 million in dead cap space for the Steelers after being traded this offseason, and Pittsburgh will still be paying towards his contract next season.

We can point fingers all we want, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Steelers are in a bad way financially. There won’t be a lot of wriggle room to add talent next year. We can only hope that the players Pittsburgh does have under contract will continue to improve.