Here are three surprising cuts the Steelers could make in 2021
No matter where the salary cap ultimately falls, the Steelers will certainly be hurting from a financial standpoint. While there will be ways to clear cap space that doesn’t involve releasing a player, some tough choices will still have to be made. With quite a few bloated contracts, odds are the Steelers end up parting pays with at least one major veteran. Here are three surprising cuts the team may be forced to make.
Joe Haden
While Joe Haden has been one of the best signings that this team has made in the past few years, his age was beginning to show this past season. While he was still savvy in coverage short, his athleticism is clearly in decline. Constantly throughout the year, he was struggling with some of the more athletic receivers in the league. This will only get worse as he gets older, and with a savings of 7 million dollars, if he is cut, the Steelers may be forced to part ways with the veteran.
What makes this move even more possible is that both Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton are free agents this season. Both have a lot more left for their careers, so the team may have to choose between either Haden or one of the younger and likely cheaper options. The only solution would be for the team to sign Haden to a voidable contract. Here, they could spread out the 7 million they owe him as a signing bonus, and he could essentially play year to year. That said, he may prefer the open market at that point. Don’t be surprised if Haden is released early in March.
Vince Williams
Vince Williams has been proving his doubters wrong ever since he was drafted by the team in 2013. He went from sixth-round pick to 11 game starter, to back up, before finally becoming a full-time starter in 2017. While he had an off-year in 2019, he has consistently been one of the team’s best run stoppers on the defense.
Unfortunately, being a run stopper may not be enough to avoid cutting him and saving 4 million dollars. This would certainly be a blow to the team, as the depth chart at the inside linebacker position isn’t exactly deep. As well, he is one of the best two-down linebackers in the league when he has a decent running mate. This was evident earlier this season, as Williams was playing all over the field.
Ultimately, that cap number may prove to be too high for the Steelers and they will have to part ways with Williams. That said, if his market isn’t too hot, he could return to the team on a team-friendly deal. Besides the point though, the team may be forced to make a tough decision with Williams. It will be hard to lose such a vocal piece to the defense, but the lack of cap space may force the team’s hand.
Eric Ebron
Eric Ebron had a good, not great, year with the Steelers. He was a valuable contributor in the red zone and made a few big plays, but his issue with drops and blocking were equally prevalent. While the team just recently lost Vance McDonald to retirement, it is still possible they move on from Ebron as well. The team could save 6 million dollars by parting ways with him, and that money could in theory be better spent elsewhere.
Now, the Steelers would want some sort of fallback option if they did cut Ebron. More than likely, that means a cheaper alternative (Jesse James anyone) or even a trade for a starter like Zach Ertz would have to be in place. Then, Ebron’s contract could be done away with to save the team some cap space.
Again, Ebron was far from a disaster this past year with the team, but his play doesn’t warrant the money he is set to earn. If the team can figure out a better solution at the position instead of him, they should take it. Ebron is a fine player, but his salary could be spent better retaining some of the stars that are set to be free agents.
The Steelers are set to be in a tough spot financially this offseason. With the salary cap likely set to decrease, the team will make some difficult decisions with the players on their roster. Hard moves like these will have to be made, but at least it would clear up 16 million in cap space. Don’t be surprised if at least one of these players are looking for a new job once this offseason truly gets underway.