The Pittsburgh Steelers trimmed about $10 million from their 2024 salary cap rolls after cutting quarterback Mitch Trubisky, tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and punter Pressley Harvin III on Monday.
Okorafor was the big move, opening up $8.75 million in cap space, while Trubisky’s release saved the team about $2.9 million. Harvin, who was still on his rookie contract, did not contribute much cap savings in his release. After roster displacement, the Steelers are are still about $5.4 million over the salary cap heading into free agency, so they still have work to do to get salary cap compliant.
In addition to their current offseason deficiency, the Steelers will need to clear up nearly another $20 million between March and the start of the season in order to sign their rookie class, a practice squad, account for players on injured reserve and other moves that must happen before the start of the season. All told, the Steelers are still functionally about $24.4 million over the cap after Monday’s moves.
The good news is that there are still more obvious moves the Steelers can make to free up some cap space. It seems likely that veterans Allen Robinson II ($11.9 million) and Patrick Peterson ($9.8 million) will either not return or will do so at reduced salary. The team can either extend or add void years to reduce the cap hit of defensive tackle Cam Heyward by almost $10 million (just don’t ask him to take a pay cut), and outside linebacker Alex Highsmith could save over $7 million with a traditional contract restructure.
With just a handful of moves, Khan and Marcoux can clear another $40 million in salary cap space, get the team under the cap, and make room to start signing free agents when that period opens in March.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2024 SALARY CAP
| Functional 2024 cap space (est.) | -$24,360,982 | T.J. Watt | $30,418,694 |
| Cam Heyward | $22,406,250 | ||
| Estimated 2024 NFL salary cap | $242,500,000 | Minkah Fitzpatrick | $21,355,000 |
| Steelers 2023 salary cap rollover | $2,340,191 | Diontae Johnson | $15,833,334 |
| Steelers 2024 salary cap (est.) | $244,840,191 | Alex Highsmith | $13,933,000 |
| Larry Ogunjobi | $13,283,333 | ||
| Top 51 salaries | $259,700,564 | Allen Robinson II | $11,917,500 |
| Dead cap hits | $8,017,965 | James Daniels | $11,166,668 |
| Isaac Seumalo | $10,191,666 | ||
| Offseason cap space (est.) | -$5,418,155 | Patrick Peterson | $9,775,000 |
| Cole Holcomb | $7,640,000 | ||
| Draft pool | $3,112,827 | Mason Cole | $6,271,668 |
| End of rule of 51 | $1,830,000 | Nate Herbig | $5,460,000 |
| Practice squad (est.) | $4,000,000 | Chris Boswell | $4,720,000 |
| In-season buffer/injured reserve (est.) | $10,000,00 | Elandon Roberts | $4,667,500 |
| Najee Harris | $4,151,460 | ||
| Damontae Kazee | $3,875,000 | ||
| Kenny Pickett | $3,836,701 | ||
| Broderick Jones | $3,778,719 | ||
| Keanu Neal | $2,710,000 | ||
| Joey Porter Jr. | $2,185,988 | ||
| Pat Freiermuth | $1,918,057 | ||
| George Pickens | $1,841,506 | ||
| Keeanu Benton | $1,666,619 | ||
| DeMarvin Leal | $1,414,608 | ||
| Dan Moore Jr. | $1,229,475 | ||
| Darnell Washington | $1,216,798 | ||
| Isaiahh Loudermilk | $1,135,072 | ||
| Calvin Austin III | $1,111,084 | ||
| Nick Herbig | $1,083,231 | ||
| Denzel Mims | $1,055,000 | ||
| Connor Heyward | $1,023,806 | ||
| Mark Robinson | $1,013,089 | ||
| Jaylen Warren | $989,000 | ||
| Jonathan Marshall | $985,000 | ||
| Kyron Johnson | $985,000 | ||
| Luq Barcoo | $985,000 | ||
| Dez Fitzpatrick | $985,000 | ||
| Marquez Callaway | $985,000 | ||
| Thomas Graham Jr. | $985,000 | ||
| Josiah Scott | $985,000 | ||
| Spencer Anderson | $934,446 | ||
| Devery Hamilton | $915,000 | ||
| Jalen Elliott | $915,000 | ||
| Trenton Thompson | $915,000 | ||
| Darius Rush | $915,000 | ||
| Rodney Williams II | $915,000 | ||
| Ryan McCollum | $915,000 | ||
| Kalon Barnes | $915,000 | ||
| Nate Meadors | $915,000 | ||
| Cory Trice | $816,109 |
Salary figures from Steelers Now sources, the NFLPA, and OvertheCap.com.