Steelers Entering 2024 Season In Unusual Spot With Opportunity To Make Huge Splash If Necessary

The Pittsburgh Steelers have always been an organization that is consistent year in and year out. That isn't just relevant to the quality of play on the field, either. The front office has traditionally operated the same regardless of who has been tasked with making the decisions. This has changed up a bit since Omar Khan was promoted to be the general manager in May of 2022. He has been much more aggressive than any of his predecessors and is consistently involved in trade talks with other franchises. His reputation for breaking trends seems to be continuing as the 2024 season gets ready to kick off.

While some things have changed, a self-imposed rule of not negotiating new contracts with players during the season seems to be intact. The organization finally agreed to extend Cameron Heyward on Tuesday, while fans anxiously await the news in relation to a Pat Freiermuth extension. It will be interesting, however, to see what happens to the team's cap space in 2024 if and when Freiermuth's deal gets done.

The Steelers' decision to keep Heyward in Pittsburgh through 2026 had another wrinkle to it that is relevant for the upcoming season. It opened up Khan and the franchise's ability to spend if needed.

It's standard that when any kind of extension occurs, the Steelers typically earn cap space for that year. The same assumption can be made for Freiermuth. Even without a new deal for the fourth-year tight end, Pittsburgh is expected to be sitting nice and comfortable with around $17 million or so. The intriguing part about that number is the Steelers almost never have that much in-season spending capability.

In a very conservative guess, Freiermuth signing an extension could land the Steelers somewhere in the $20 million range. Ironically, Khan noted during the 2024 offseason that the team always expects to spend right up to the cap. Even with the recent practice squad signings, there is plenty of room for Khan to make a significant in-season acquisition if he so chooses.

Pittsburgh lost out at the end of the Brandon Aiyuk saga, but that doesn't mean a play-making wide receiver won't be available via trade at some point during the season. The Steelers will have to have a strong start to the year due to a brutal backend of the schedule, but if Freiermuth does indeed sign an extension, fans could be left guessing why in the world Khan would want to keep $20 million in his back pocket.

Cap space does have the ability to carry over into the next season, but Khan's comments early in the offseason indicate that he had no plans for that to happen. If a difference-maker at any position is available on the trade block, the decision could be made to go out and get that individual. It certainly is an interesting position that Pittsburgh has not been in too often.

Steelers Could Roll Over Cap Space For A Massive Move In 2025

Pittsburgh is already expected to have a large amount of cap space in 2025. That might shrink with some internal moves and extensions, but rolling over roughly $20 million could give the organization the ability to make a huge splash, such as trying to poach Dak Prescott from the Dallas Cowboys. All cards are on the table with Khan, and his comments about the cap and the situation he is currently in should draw some intrigue.

Do you think Khan is saving cap space for a huge trade in 2024 or signing in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!

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