The Steelers Top 3 Potential 2023 Cap Casualties

Every year, teams around the NFL cut so many players to save cap room for other players, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are no exception. They have some players they want to keep, and some that they'd like to sign in free agency, so they could use the extra cap space. There will be some rollover from last season, along with some extra cap space from the new YouTube TV deal, of course, but it likely won't be enough to allow the Steelers to keep and acquire enough players. Some sacrifices are needed, and some are easier than others. 

Cap Casualties for the Steelers

The most obvious casualty is William Jackson III, who was acquired from the Washington Commanders for the equivalent of nothing. He carries a cap hit of over $12 million, with no dead cap at all. Cutting Jackson is the easiest way for the Steelers to save money, even though he hasn't played a single down for the Steelers. With his recent struggles before his injury, maybe the Steelers could sign him back at a much-reduced rate, like the Philadelphia Eagles did last off-season with Fletcher Cox.

Mitchell Trubisky could easily be another option if the Steelers feel like they could get a backup quarterback cheap, which Omar Khan knows how to do. Trubisky was the starter in 2022, before losing the job to Kenny Pickett later on. He filled in for Pickett for a few games, including wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers. Trubisky has shown to have some value as a solid backup option, but the question would be if the Steelers could find a cheaper option at QB.

With Mason Rudolph also being a free agent, maybe Trubisky stays, since Rudolph has indicated that he wants a change of scenery. The Steelers could always try signing a cheap QB and drafting a backup with a day three pick, like potentially signing Cooper Rush or Taylor Heinicke while drafting someone like Tanner McKee or Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Whichever option costs the least amount of money is likely where the Steelers go, and it could lead to Trubisky being cut.

Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace were signed to similar contracts in the 2022 off-season. Only one of them would get cut, and the most likely scenario is Witherspoon being gone to save $4 million in cap space. Witherspoon had some struggles early on in the season, before being out due to injury for nearly the rest of the season. 

With cornerback on the Steelers radar, Witherspoon would end up being a depth option, even though he had a very strong 2021 season. Levi Wallace has shown that he is still a very capable starter and has earned the right to stay on the roster, leaving Witherspoon as the odd man out.

There will also be plenty of cap manipulation, like giving Myles Jack a one-year extension to put some cap space into 2024, while also having some semblance of consistency at the middle linebacker position. They could also restructure contracts, such as Minkah Fitzpatrick or Chris Boswell, both of whom have recently signed extensions that come into effect in 2023. No matter who gets cut or who gets restructured, there's solace in knowing that Omar Khan is used to dealing with the cap and making sure the Steelers have some breathing room.

Who else do you think could end up being a cap casualty at the end of the season?