Pittsburgh Steelers' Salary-Cap Breakdown by Position
Over the next month, much of the discussion will revolve around how the Pittsburgh Steelers will free up cap space for the 2015 season. Although a vital aspect to the offseason, it is equally as important to understand how those cap dollars will be spent.
According to Spotrac.com, the Steelers are $1,146,943 over a projected 2015 cap figure of $142 million. That means they must make some tough decisions on veteran players such as Troy Polamalu and Brett Keisel.
As recent history suggests, Kevin Colbert is willing to part with longtime veterans to free up space to make moves in free agency. Whether it is to go out and find another starter or re-sign a key player such as Jason Worilds, there is plenty of work to be done prior to the start of the league year on March 10.
Beyond the players they plan to sign, the Steelers’ front office must evaluate how it is spending money on its current roster. Where does it need to spend more to upgrade the talent base, and which positions lack production for the overall investment?
By analyzing each positional group, we evaluated the Steelers’ salary-cap situation and how they will build their roster this offseason.
Quarterback
1 of 9
Cap Spending: $20,923,139 (14.65% of cap)
There are only five teams in the NFL that will spend more at quarterback in 2015 than the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that number can change soon. Ben Roethlisberger is in the final year of his contract and is ready to cash in on a new deal.
General manager Kevin Colbert said that contract talks have begun, but he did not place a timeline on a new deal, via Scott Brown of ESPN.com:
"When you have two parties that want to achieve the same goal, it is about working out the details," Colbert said. "It could happen quickly. It could take awhile."
A new contract should lower Roethlisberger’s salary-cap hit of $18.395 million. That is important, as he currently takes up 12.88 percent of the 2015 cap on his own. Additional cap space will help Colbert upgrade other areas of the team and keep the Steelers as a contender this season.
Behind Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski and Landry Jones combine for just over $2.5 in cap space. Although Gradkowski is not one of the top backups in the league, he provides an excellent value for his experience while Jones provides a low-cost third option.
Running Back
2 of 9
Cap Spending: $2,278,304 (1.60% of cap)
Le’Veon Bell is one of the top running backs in the league yet provides one of the best values. As he enters the third year of his contract, he will only count 0.79 percent against Pittsburgh’s salary cap. This makes the running back position the most cost effective on the team.
However, Bell cannot do it alone, and the Steelers cannot depend on a single back to last the duration of the entire season. They will likely be without their top back for the first two games next season as he serves a two-game suspension for a marijuana arrest last summer, per ESPN NFL Insider John Clayton.
Josh Harris is the only true running back on the roster behind Bell, and it is unlikely that the Steelers will enter the season with him as the top backup. They also will not depend on Dri Archer, who has yet to find a true fit with the offense.
The Steelers should draft a running back late for depth and sift through the free-agent market for a proven veteran to step in as the backup. A free-agent deal similar to the two years and $3.85 million that they gave LeGarrette Blount last year would be a wise investment.
Wide Receiver
3 of 9
Cap Spending: $12,982,649 (9.09% of cap)
After some growing pains early in the season, the Steelers found that they have quite a trio of wide receivers. Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant provide the offense with a combination of quickness, speed and size that is tough for any defense in the league to defend.
Several years ago, the Steelers looked to sign Mike Wallace to a long-term deal. But he declined, and the focus moved to Brown. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as Brown blossomed into one of the best receivers in the NFL.
Brown had a record-setting season last year with 129 receptions, 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns—all career highs. With a 2015 cap hit of $9,787,500, he is one of the best values in the league. He has improved each year in the league and is firmly entrenched as Roethlisberger’s favorite target.
Wheaton and Bryant fill out the top of the depth chart while consuming just 0.96 percent of the 2015 cap. Neither player has reached his ceiling, and both should continue to improve with experience
One name the Steelers can expect to be without this year is Lance Moore. He requested his release to pursue an opportunity elsewhere, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Given his lack of production in Pittsburgh and cap savings of $1.5 million, it is a logical solution for both sides.
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Tight End
4 of 9
Cap Spending: $6,686,666 (4.68% of cap)
On the surface, the Steelers appear to have a good cap situation at tight end. However, that is not the case, as Heath Miller is the only proven option on the roster.
Miller is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with 66 receptions for 761 yards. He will carry a cap hit of about $5.67 million this season but is in no danger of being cut. He will once again be one of the top targets for the offense, though the Steelers should consider looking for a future replacement.
Colbert could dip into free agency and look for a legitimate No. 2 option behind Miller. Jermaine Gresham is one candidate who would fit well in the position. Another option is to stick with what they know and re-sign Matt Spaeth.
The final spot on the depth chart will go to Michael Egnew or Rob Blanchflower—both count less than 0.50 percent of the 2015 cap.
Offensive Line
5 of 9
Cap Spending: $23,275,239 (16.4% of cap)
After years of investing high draft picks on the offensive line, it appears to have finally paid off. Under the guidance of Mike Munchak, the offensive line had its best performance in years.
Despite the improved performance, Pittsburgh’s contract decisions have been curious. Both the right tackle and center positions are in the top five in the league in 2015 cap hits. Marcus Gilbert’s $6.98 million cap hit is fourth in the league while Maurkice Pouncey’s hit of $8.1 million is third.
Pouncey had a good year coming back from an ACL injury, and the front office looks smart for getting a deal done last offseason. That is not the case for Gilbert, as he had an inconsistent year. The Steelers cannot continue to pay a premium for players who do not play consistently at a high level.
The guards fall in the middle of the pack and rank 16th in pay. David DeCastro and Ramon Foster account for $4,636,240, which is only 3.25 percent of the cap. Overall, the Steelers are getting a good return for what they are paying for their interior line.
Their best value may come at left tackle, where they are No. 28 with a cap hit of $1,798,999. Mike Adams is listed as a left tackle on Spotrac.com and makes nearly double of starter Kelvin Beachum.
As a former seventh-round draft pick, Beachum is on the hook for only $671,474 this year. However, the Steelers may explore signing him to a long-term deal later this summer.
Defensive Line
6 of 9
Cap Spending: $16,189,605 (11.4% of cap)
Just as they did with the offensive line, the Steelers used the draft to help rebuild the defensive front. Now with three young players in hand, they have the foundation for the line at a relatively cheap cost.
Cameron Heyward, 25, skews the cap total with a 2015 cap hit of $6,969,000 from the option the Steelers picked up last season. He is due for a long-term extension, and they will look to lower this number. But that will not be done until the summer.
Along with Heyward, 21-year-old Stephon Tuitt had a solid finish to his rookie season and should enter the year as the starter. That will make Cam Thomas expendable, which will free up $2.5 million. There will be cheaper options in free agency.
Brett Keisel is another potential cap casualty, with a cap hit of $1.75 million this year. However, with no young defensive ends waiting in the wings, the Steelers may be forced to keep him as veteran depth. Pittsburgh would be in much better shape if Josh Mauro or Nick Williams made the roster last season.
Steve McLendon and Daniel McCullers account for 2.38 percent of the cap, and this number should not change much unless the Steelers invest in another nose tackle in the draft. This is a possibility, but with needs at outside linebacker and cornerback, it is unlikely.
Linebackers
7 of 9
Cap Spending: $19,643,436 (13.8% of cap)
Linebackers make the defense tick for the Steelers, so it is not a surprise that these players make up a higher percentage of the salary cap than virtually every other position on the team.
Taking up 12.10 percent of the cap, Pittsburgh’s inside linebackers are the highest paid in the league. Luckily, the talent matches the price tag.
Lawrence Timmons leads the way, taking up 8.80 percent of the cap alone. This number is high considering he does not play one of the premium positions on defense, but he is arguably Pittsburgh’s best defender.
Ryan Shazier, Sean Spence and Vince Williams are all on their rookie contracts and provide the Steelers with three starting-caliber players at a low cost. Shazier is likely to earn the starting spot again next season and stay on the field as long as he is healthy, but the other two will provide quality backups.
Jarvis Jones is the lone outside linebacker under contract, meaning that the Steelers will have to invest heavily in the position. That could mean re-signing James Harrison for a veteran minimum for depth and possibly placing a tag on Jason Worilds for the second straight year.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Colbert would consider using the transition tag on Worilds again this year. That would mean investing about $11 million on an outside linebacker who only has 15.5 sacks over 27 starts over the past two seasons.
Rather than throw a large chunk of money at Worilds, the Steelers could spread the wealth by re-signing Arthur Moats at a modest cost and drafting a pass-rusher in the first or second round. Another option is to go after one of the bigger names in free agency, such as Pernell McPhee, Brandon Graham or Jabaal Sheard.
How the Steelers spend their money at outside linebacker will be one of the biggest storylines of the offseason.
Defensive Backs
8 of 9
Cap Spending: $24,150,956 (17.0% of cap)
The Steelers have a lot of work to do in the secondary. They lack top young prospects ready to step in, and their highest-paid players may be some of their worst.
Troy Polamalu will present the toughest decision for Pittsburgh’s front office. While he can still play against the run, keeping him on the roster is more of a sentimental decision than a business one. With an $8.25 million cap hit, the Steelers have more to gain by releasing Polamalu than they do by keeping him.
If not for dead money, Mike Mitchell and Cortez Allen may also have been cap casualties. Colbert signed both players to long-term deals last offseason thinking that they would be the foundation to Pittsburgh’s secondary.
Allen was benched during the season, and Mitchell never displayed any playmaking abilities—instead he was noticed for an excessive number of penalties and his struggles in deep coverage. Despite their deficiencies, both will be in a uniform next year.
Shamarko Thomas is an X-factor for next year. He has a tremendous amount of athleticism but was unable to get on the field with the defense last year. If he can step in and lock down the starting job at strong safety, the secondary will be improved.
Brice McCain and Antwon Blake are two cheap options the Steelers can re-sign. But if Pittsburgh really wants to improve at cornerback, it will have to look outside of the organization for a mid-tier option.
Special Teams
9 of 9
Cap Spending: $3,665,000 (2.6% of cap)
Little should change with Pittsburgh’s special teams this year, as its core group of specialists will return for 2015.
Greg Warren recently re-signed and will continue his role as the long snapper. He has held this position for 10 years and has 159 games of experience.
Brad Wing will enter his second year with the team and look to hold off any challengers in training camp. Although he was ranked near the bottom of the league in several categories, he demonstrated some potential and could develop into an above-average punter once he gains confidence and punts more consistently.
Shaun Suisham signed a new contract last offseason and did not slow down at all. He made 29 of 32 field goals and ranked fifth in the league in percentage. He even made a career-goal field goal of 53 yards.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, all salary information is courtesy of Spotrac.com and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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