The [South] Hills are alive with the sound of…salary cap debate.
The Steelers are currently on the red side of the balance sheet with 24 pending free agents/voiding contracts to replace. Restructures will provide some breathing room but there’s no two ways about it: cuts are coming.
The only real no-brainer here is William Jackson III’s $12.2 million cap hit. The guy couldn’t find the field last year and certainly won’t at that figure.
Myles Jack ($11.3 million) did get on the field but he was clearly playing through a nagging injury that eventually forced Robert Spillane above him on the depth chart. The only thread holding Jack here is Devin Bush’s desire to burn every bridge in and around the 412. There will be at least one new starting MLB come Week One, and he probably wasn’t on the roster in 2022.
Chuks Okorafor ($13.1 million) is the dark-horse cut candidate not many people are talking about, primarily because they’re talking about Dan Moore. I’m currently in the process of cutting up the “Best Of 2022” for both of them and I can attest Moore’s reel is much, MUCH longer. Were I calling the shots I’d take the best OT available at 17 (sorry, JPJ-stans), leave him at his natural position and put Dan Moore on the other end.
Which brings us back to doe: Mitchell Trubisky and his $10.6 million. Many fans have some arbitrary limit in their minds as to what you’re allowed to pay a backup QB. Those rules don’t apply to teams whose starter is on a rookie deal ($3.2 million this year for Kenny). With the third guy they’re sure to bring in to replace the disgruntled Mason Rudolph they’ll probably be paying their QB room around $16 million (going on $17 million).
Anyone who was paying attention to the Purdy-saga in San Fran knows if you’re a team who plans on going the distance you almost NEED two starting-caliber guys. That’s less feasible for a Mahomes-led team but again: when your starter is making peanuts you can afford that security blanket.
$2.7 million of Trubisky’s contract is guaranteed so the team would only save $8 million by shaking him loose. Then you still have to replace him. You’re not finding a better backup than Mitch for less than $8 million, you’re just not.
Art Rooney told Bob Pompeani he views Trubisky as an “effective” backup who can win games when called upon. Mitch undeniably upped the level of play when he relieved a concussed Pickett against the Bucs. Say what you will about the three picks in the first Ravens game but Kenny was running for his life against that defense – for good reason.
Believe it or not the analytics indicate Trubisky’s a starting-caliber player. If the Steelers could get a second-round pick back for Chase Claypool surely they could get some sort of return for Mitch instead of just getting out from under his contract.
Steely Cam 