The Pittsburgh Steelers roster could have a different look to it next season. Here are five players who likely played their final game with the organization.
No NFL team is immune to roster turnover, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will have plenty of it in 2023. In addition to twenty-two pending free agents, there are a number of other players who are likely to get cut for financial reasons prior to the start of the 2023 free agency period.
Some names who will not return are very easy to predict, while others leave the door slightly cracked for a possible return. Based on 2022 performances, contracts, and several other factors, here are five Pittsburgh Steelers players who have very likely played their final game as a member of this team.
5. Devin Bush, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Let’s start with an obvious one. After proving to be a colossal disappointment to the Pittsburgh Steelers, there’s almost a zero percent chance that Devin Bush would return to this club in 2023. Bush fell out of favor late in the 2022 season as his snap count plummeted down the stretch. Over the final two games, he saw the field for 5 total snaps each.
This was a telltale sign that the coaching staff clearly understands who he is at this point, and they realize that he was not enough. Since a promising rookie campaign in 2019, the former 10th overall pick has been one of the most disappointing selections this team has made in recent history.
Because of his youth and former draft status, there’s no chance that Bush is going to get another shot to prove himself in this league, but I can say with certainty that it won’t come as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bush has an expiring contract and is likely to sign with the team who makes him the best offer this offseason.
4. Tyson Alualu, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
Tyson Alualu was once a stout run defender for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that ship has sailed. Kevin Colbert signed Alualu as a free agent back in 2017, and he proved to be an excellent addition to the team.
However, the sun sets on everyone’s playing career eventually, and Alualu is no exception. The former 10th overall pick by the Jaguars didn’t join the Steelers until his 8th NFL season at the age of 30. While he did give Pittsburgh four good years prior to a season-ending ankle injury in 2021, his time in the league is coming to a close.
In 2022, Alualu was just a shell of his former self at the age of 35. Though he played in all 17 games this year, he received a demotion partway through the season as he just wasn’t doing a good enough job applying pressure or holding up at the point of attack.
Though he’s not officially retried, it seems very unlikely that another club is going to want a 36-year-old struggling defensive tackle — even with the success he has had in the past. Alualu will be done in Pittsburgh and may have already played his final snaps in the NFL.
3. Mitch Trubisky, QB Pittsburgh Steelers
There’s no question that Mitch Trubisky was disappointed by how quickly the clock ticked down as a starting quarterback this year. When he signed with the Steelers, the six-year veteran, and former 2nd overall pick was under the assumption that he would have more time to prove himself.
Instead, Trubisky was benched at halftime of Week 4 against the New York Jets. Pittsburgh only called on him twice after when Kenny Pickett sustained concussions. Though Mitch is still under contract for the 2023 season, a mutual parting seems to be in order.
The Steelers would clear up $8 million in salary cap space if he’s released during the 2023 offseason. This is a substantial savings for a quarterback they don’t want to see the field. While this doesn’t count for displacement cost, Pittsburgh could likely sign a familiar veteran like Mason Rudolph or Josh Dobbs for a fraction of the price if they choose to go that route.
Likewise, Trubisky isn’t going to be happy sitting in a backup role with no shot at becoming a starter or even operating as a stop-gap starter like he did to begin the season. He will want to be released and given one more shot to revive his career elsewhere and the Steelers are likely to oblige.
2. Myles Jack, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
I know plenty of fans are going to disagree with this one. The Pittsburgh Steelers have disgusting depth at the linebacker position, and we already noted that Devin Bush isn’t going to return to the team. However, keeping Myles Jack solely for this reason doesn’t make sense — especially from a financial standpoint.
Of all the cap numbers the Steelers are set to have in 2023, Jack’s is one of the worst. According to Over the Cap, the veteran linebacker is set to count for $11.25 million against the cap. This is an absurdly high number for a player who was nothing more than average for Pittsburgh in 2022.
Though he did miss two games, Jack played just 71 percent of defensive snaps for the Steelers this past season and, like every other linebacker on the team, he proved to be a liability in pass coverage.
Though the Steelers will have several linebacker spots to fill, it should be an easy decision to get out of Jack’s contract to save $8 million this season. That money could be thrown back into a more long-term fix at the position. I’m not completely sold that Myles Jack will be gone, but for financial reasons, it seems like the most likely outcome.
1. Chris Wormley, DL, Pittsburgh Steelers
Much like Tyson Alualu, Chris Wormley has been an excellent addition to Pittsburgh’s interior defensive line over the past several seasons. Wormly was brought on via trade with the Ravens back in 2020, and he did a serviceable job filling in for Stephon Tuitt after he retired before the 2021 season.
However, there are several reasons to believe that Wormley won’t be back. For starters, the veteran defensive lineman suffered an ACL tear in the second half of the season. This is an injury that is sure to linger on through the spring and summer, and Wormley might not be ready to go in time for the start of the 2023 season.
Even if he’s healthy, Wormley has an expiring contract with the team, so the Steelers won’t feel obligated to stick it out with him while he nurses his way back to full health. Though the depth on the DL is a bit scary behind Cameron Heyward, it’s likely that Pittsburgh throws money at healthier interior defenders during the 2023 free agency period in an effort to revamp this unit that struggled this past season.
Chris Wormley did have another respectable season in 2022 and he is still only 29 years old. Another club will pick him up once they feel confident about his health. As of now, however, I don’t think he will be moving forward as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.