The Pittsburgh Steelers will enter the 2024 offseason with a lot more questions than answers regardless of the outcome. There are holes all over the roster and several decisions are going to be made by General Manager Omar Khan. The make-up of the roster is not perfect and after investing heavily on the defensive side of the ball in recent seasons, it has proven to be an ineffective strategy. The franchise has no postseason wins since the 2016 season's playoffs. There could be a lot of changes in 2024 and some of those may be veteran players being cut because of the expensive nature of their contracts.
Trevor Ruszkowski / USA Today
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaks to members of the media at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.
Pittsburgh seemed to enter the 2023 campaign with a very solid roster. There was young talent on the offensive side of the ball and a strong group of veteran leaders on defense. This all seemed to be relatively effective with a 7-4 start to the year, but now that the team had somewhat of a collapse in December, everything is on the table come the end of the season.
There are a few names to keep an eye on when the new league begins in March. The Steelers will do what they can when it comes to cap space. Many veteran players could be looking for new homes, or even retiring, if Pittsburgh decides moving on is in everyone's best interest. It starts with a massive cap hit for a guy who was benched in 2023.
1.) Chukwuma Okorafor, Offensive Line
Chukwuma Okorafor received a decent pay day in the 2022 offseason. Three years and nearly $30 million was looked at by fans as generous at the time and the contract didn't age well. The Steelers drafted Broderick Jones to play the left side of the line, but he ended up replacing Okorafor due to the veteran saying something inappropriate towards the coaching staff. There is almost no chance the organization keeps him around.
His cap hit of nearly $12 million is not going to be tolerated and there is no reason to renegotiate. The team needs to invest in the right side and move Jones to his natural position on the left. Releasing the tackle could end up in nearly $9 million in savings while only incurring a dead cap of just over $3 million. Quite frankly, it's a no brainer.
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Steelers right tackle, Chukwuma Okorafor (#76) stands on the field at Acrisure Stadium during a 2022 matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Pittsburgh, PA.
2.) Allen Robinson II, Wide Receiver
The fan base looked forward to the addition of Allen Robinson II after he was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams via trade. Unfortunately, the wide receivers room is as immature as ever and he would need to take a significant pay cut if he wanted to hang around. That is contingent on the team wanting him to stay after having an extremely subpar 2023. He was listed as the slot receiver on the depth chart entering the campaign. To be fair, no one on the offense has exceeded expectations.
He, like Okorafor, is scheduled to have a cap hit near $12 million. No one would be willing to take that on for a guy who will be 31 when the 2024 season kicks off. The cap savings are a staggering $10 million. Unless he goes to the front office wanting to stay and wants to take near the veteran minimum, he will be looking for a new home very soon.
3.) Patrick Peterson, Cornerback
Patrick Peterson, because of his Hall of Fame potential, became a fan favorite when he agreed to sign with Pittsburgh in free agency. He has been asked to do a lot in his first year with the Steelers, but it's been evident that his age is catching up with him. He seems to have done a great job mentoring Joey Porter Jr., but that can only go so far. Out of the three here, he has the best chance to hang around, mainly because the team's cornerback depth is so thin as it is entering 2024.
Benjamin B. Braun / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers cornerback, Patrick Peterson (#20) runs a drill with the defense at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA during 2023 minicamp.
A release would lead to almost $7 million in cap savings. That could be used to sign a younger corner to put on the other side of Porter Jr. The NFL is a business and despite Peterson's incredible career, keeping him around might not be in the best interest of the Steelers organization. He could very well be a one-and-done in the Steel City.
Steelers Could Create Nearly $27 Million As Free Agency Begins
The three players above along with a TJ Watt contract restructure could put Pittsburgh in a fantastic place come free agency. Those are just a few moves that could make a difference. Overall, the team has a lot of decisions to make to improve the roster. Cutting ties with a guy like Pressley Harvin III could also generate extra financial flexibility.
Do you think Okorafor, Robinson II and Peterson will all be cut in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!
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