Report: Steelers Rework Contract of TE Eric Ebron, Save $3.9 Million in 2021 Cap Space

The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a reworked contract with veteran tight end Eric Ebron that will save the team $3.9 million in 2021 salary cap space, according to a report by Brooke Pryor of ESPN.

Ebron signed a two-year, $12-million contract with the Steelers as a free agent before the 2020 season and was set to count for $8.5 million against the Steelers’ salary cap this season. 

Because Ebron was entering the final season of his contract, the team could not restructure his contract in the traditional method. Details of his new contract have not yet been reported, but that team and Ebron likely agreed to a pay cut, a voidable extension, or a combination thereof in order to reduce his salary cap hit for 2021.

Ebron was productive in his first season with the Steelers in 2020. He appeared in 15 games and made nine starts, catching 56 passes for 558 yards and five touchdowns. Signed to play alongside incumbent Vance McDonald, Ebron out-targeted McDonald, 91-20, even though Ebron struggled with drops throughout the year.

With McDonald’s retirement this offseason, Ebron should be projected to play an even larger role in the Steelers’ offense in 2021, with little-used youngsters Zach Gentry and Kevin Rader the only depth behind him with any NFL experience.

The Steelers had around $4 million of functional salary cap space before re-working Ebron’s contract.