By Matt Papiernik, @Matt_Papiernik on Twitter
SteelerNation.com
In case you didn't see my previous articles, I am going to be publishing several articles breaking down the contracts, performance, and likelihood that certain players will be members of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. Now that the off-season is in full view for the team, there are going to be several roster decisions that will need to be made as the Steelers are pressed up against the salary cap yet again. Continuing on with this series of articles, next up to focus on is Anthony Chickillo.
Anthony Chickillo, OLB, 5 Seasons with the Steelers
Contract
2 Years for $8 Million, $2.195 Million Guaranteed.
If released, would save $5 Million in 2020 and result in $1.098 Million in Dead Money.
2019 Performance
Prior to the 2019 season, Chickillo signed a 2-year deal to remain with the Steelers. This deal puzzled some people as Chickillo has never played more than 30% of the defensive snaps, and for the most part, was a special teams player that occasionally spelled T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. This trend held true in 2019 as he actually played his lowest percentage of defensive snaps since his rookie season. When he did get an opportunity to rotate in, he was unable to make much of an impact, registering only half of a sack and one QB hit on the season. Where Chickillo did perform well was on special teams. Like previous seasons, he was one of the Steelers best special teams players and was constantly around the ball. Unfortunately for Chickillo, he also missed 5 games this year, which were his first games missed since 2016.
2020 Roster Likelihood: 10% Chance
Final Thoughts: Having a player like Anthony Chickillo on your roster is a nice luxury. He has been with the team for 5 seasons now, plays extremely hard when he is on the field, and is an ace special teams player that never complains about his role. However, for a backup outside linebacker, the Steelers simply can't afford to have him take up over $6 million of their cap space. The only way I see him remaining on the team in 2020 is if Bud Dupree leaves during free agency, which is very unlikely.
Let us know what you think Anthony Chickillo's future with the Pittsburgh Steelers is below!
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