Here are five of the easiest ways that the Steelers can create cap space in 2021
The Steelers, like most teams, are patiently awaiting what the cap will be set at for the 2021 season. COVID has likely done some damage to the available space as profits were cut this year, and even if the cap gets close to the number it was last year, the Steelers will need to do some work to get compliant. While the team will have to make some tough choices, the options below are the simplest and most logical way to create space. While they all won’t happen, here are the easiest ways for the Steelers to create cap space in 2021.
Extend Steven Nelson
While it would take some work from both sides, hammering out a contract extension with veteran cornerback Steven Nelson would make a lot of sense. With him entering the final year of his deal, he has a large-cap hit of over 14 million dollars. The team likely won’t cut him given his solid, albeit worse than 2019, play and the fact that he is still under 30 years old. All of these factors make an extension a far more realistic route for the two parties.
While these numbers are just projections, say Nelson adds on another three years and averages around 12 million per season (a number that makes him a top-15 paid cornerback). Given how the Steelers typically do deals, they could shave off 4 million dollars from their cap if a deal like this was struck. While not a monumental amount of savings, it will be worth it if the Steelers intend on keeping Nelson past this season. Assuming they are happy with him so far, extending him this offseason makes sense from a cap perspective.
Cut Joe Haden
While Nelson makes sense to bring back for a few years, the same can not be said about Joe Haden. While the veteran had a good season, he is clearly regressing in terms of athletic ability. He was consistently beaten by younger and quicker receivers this year, making the idea of committing to him long term not realistic. Instead, if the Steelers need the space, they will likely have to simply release him instead.
If the Steelers decided to part ways with Haden, it would save them 7 million dollars. More than likely, that money could go right into signing either Mike Hilton or Cameron Sutton, allowing the Steelers to retain one of their better pending free agents. That said, losing Haden would be a blow, as the veteran has been their starter for the past few years. He was a welcome addition to this secondary a few years ago, but his time with the Steelers is running out.
It will ultimately come down to what the cap ends up getting set at this year. If the number comes in higher than expected, the team may try to keep him around. If push comes to shove though, he needs to be considered for the casualty list. Age hasn’t won yet, but if last year was any sort of a sign, Haden’s career will be coming to an end sooner than later.
Retire or resign Ben Roethlisberger
A huge question for this team this offseason is what to do with Ben Roethlisberger and his monumental cap hit. Scheduled to be over 41 million dollars, the team could save a sizable 19 million by just simply releasing him. Given his decline in play and age, this seems like a clear choice, but it isn’t a move we see often from the Steelers. What seems more likely is that the team tries and get Roethlisberger to retire.
This was seen last year with Ramon Foster. It wasn’t a lock that he called it quits, but the team seemed to hardball him into that being his only option. The team could try a similar tactic with Roethlisberger in order to get some more cap relief. If he decides that he wants to play though, it makes sense to extend Roethlisberger in order to lower his cap hit. There is an inherent risk with that, as his declining body would be locked up for a few more years, which could lead to salary issues later on.
While cutting Roethlisberger is on the table, it would be a shock to see the team explore that route. Instead, it will likely come down to either him retiring or the team signing him to an extension. Neither option is ideal, but the team can’t allow him to play on his current contract given their cap needs. Some sort of relief will be given, but it will be up to what Roethlisberger decides to do before that number is truly known.
Restructure Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt
While none of the options on this list are a sure thing, restructuring Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt would be a simple way to clear just over 11 million dollars from the salary cap. Restructuring deals has become a staple of the Steelers, as it clears up cap space this year by kicking some of that hit down the road. Considering both players are coming off excellent years though, there shouldn’t be much risk with a move like this.
Restructuring Tuitt would give him a large-cap hit next year but given that he will be entering the final year of his current deal then, the team can get him a new deal that will lower that overall hit. As for Heyward, the veteran is a little older, and kicking the cap hit down the road could be an issue later on. That said, Heyward has shown no signs of slowing down, making him a safe player to invest in.
This move is the most obvious for the Steelers as it doesn’t involve either player being cut to get cap relief. As well, restructuring both would create the second-highest cap gain for the team behind Roethlisberger. This seems like a no brainer, and a move that should happen shortly after the new league year begins. The real question will be what else they have to do in order to get cap compliant.
The Steelers will be forced to make quite a few tough decisions this offseason. While the above are some of the easier ways to clear out a lot of cap space, it doesn’t mean the team will be able to part with all of this talent. At this point, the team needs to be hoping for a middle of the pack salary cap if they want to avoid some franchise-altering decisions on this roster.