Steelers Enter 2025 with Plenty of Salary Cap Space

Pittsburgh Steelers Salary Cap Update: The Steelers still have salary cap flexibility entering the 2025 regular season.

Pittsburgh Steelers GM Omar Khan HBCU Legacy Bowl Salary Cap
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan before a game against the New England Patriots on Dec. 8, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of problems entering the 2025 offseason. They don’t have a starting quarterback under contract and there seems to be a dearth of attractive options. They have to figure out what to do with troublesome star wide receiver George Pickens as he enters a contract year. Two years into a massive rebuild of their offensive line, injuries and poor play have robbed them of any sense of whether that unit will become the dominant group hoped for. Najee Harris and his four straight 1,000-yard seasons seem poised to walk out the door in free agency. But for all the problems the Steelers have as they attempt to piece together their 2025 roster, money is not one of them. The Steelers enter the new season in excellent shape with the salary cap.

The Steelers rolled over $6.8 million in cap space from the 2024 season, and while there is not yet an official salary cap number for the 2025 season, Over The Cap’s estimate of $272.5 million would give the Steelers over $40 million in salary cap space as they move forward into the offseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers Omar Khan Art Rooney II Salary Cap
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan and president Art Rooney II during training camp on July 26, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Not only that, the Steelers have a pair of easy ways to make more space, through the no-cost release of backup outside linebacker Preston Smith and/or a contract extension for starter T.J. Watt. The Steelers could easily clear $60 million in offseason salary cap space if they should choose to.

That’s a good thing, because they’ll need it. The Steelers must sign at least two quarterbacks, will be heavily involved in the wide receiver market, and would probably prefer to address holes at cornerback and running back before the 2025 NFL Draft comes around.

That will be a tall ask for Omar Khan as he works the free agent wire, but one thing is for sure, he has the money to do it.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2025 SALARY CAP SNAPSHOT

Salary Cap (est.)$272,500,000
2024 Rollover$6,831,465
Team Cap$279,331,465
Top 51 Salaries$238,822,364
Dead Money$45,335
Current Salary Cap Space (est.)$40,463,766

Not all of the money in Khan’s coffers can be spent right now. The Steelers will have some expenses between now and the start of the season that while known, are not yet on the books. Those include offseason workout bonuses, the final two players on the 53-man roster (only 51 count in the offseason), a practice squad, players on the injured reserve, and a buffer for in-season moves. Those items will functionally reduce the team’s ability to spend by about $11.5 million. Because those items won’t hit the ledger until the summer, the Steelers can actually over-spend now and figure out how to get back under the cap later.

KNOWN FUTURE EXPENSES

Workout Bonuses$900,000
52 & 53$1,680,000
Practice Squad$4,000,000
Buffer$5,000,000
Functional 2025 Salary Cap Space (est.)$28,883,766

That’s where moves like releasing or restructuring Smith’s contract or singing Watt to a contract extension could come into play. The Steelers could also restructure the contract of players like Alex Highsmith and Pat Freiermuth to make more salary cap space.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2025 PLAYER-BY-PLAYER SALARY CAP HITS

T.J. Watt$30,418,695
Minkah Fitzpatrick$22,355,000
Cam Heyward$19,650,000
Alex Highsmith$18,602,000
Patrick Queen$17,693,333
Preston Smith$13,400,000
Pat Freiermuth$12,885,000
Larry Ogunjobi$10,533,334
Isaac Seumalo$10,191,668
Cole Holcomb$7,640,000
Chris Boswell$4,720,000
Broderick Jones$4,534,463
Miles Killebrew$4,245,000
George Pickens$4,097,670
Cordarelle Patterson$3,750,000
DeShon Elliott$3,750,000
Cameron Johnston$3,458,333
Troy Fautanu$3,421,658
Dean Lowry$3,125,000
Montravius Adams$3,125,000
Joey Porter Jr.$2,623,186
Keeanu Benton$1,999,943
Zach Frazier$1,714,594
DeMarvin Leal$1,650,376
Darnell Washington$1,460,158
Roman Wilson$1,305,720
Christian Kuntz$1,278,333
Payton Wilson$1,271,889
Calvin Austin III$1,226,084
Nick Herbig$1,198,231
Mason McCormick$1,151,224
Connor Heyward$1,138,806
Mark Robinson$1,128,089
Corliss Waitman$1,100,000
Brandon Johnson$1,100,000
Skylar Thompson$1,100,000
Cory Trice Jr.$1,051,109
Spencer Anderson$1,049,446
Eku Leota$1,030,000
Devin Harper$1,030,000
Jonathan Ward$1,030,000
Logan Lee$1,015,018
Ryan Watts$1,005,671
Beanie Bishop$968,333
Lance McCutcheon$960,000
Aaron Shampklin$960,000
Evan Hull$960,000
Dylan Cook$960,000
D’Shawn Jamison$960,000
Joshuah Bledsoe$960,000
Domenique Davis$840,000
Kyler McMichael$840,000
Doug Nester$840,000
Julius Welschof$840,000
Steven Jones$840,000
Thomas Rush$840,000
Jacob Slade$840,000
Cameron McCutcheon$840,000

Salary figures from Steelers Now sources, the NFLPA, and Over The Cap.

Mentioned In This Article: