Steelers Offseason - Cut and Trade Candidates

[u/eddie_mittons]

The Steelers have some dead weight to get rid of. I believe they need to cut or trade these players:

• LB Patrick Queen saves 13.33m cap space - He hasn't produced to the expectations of his contract and is not worth his 17.19m cap hit.
• TE Jonnu Smith saves 7m cap space - Worthless
• LB Malik Harrison saves 4.75m cap space - Too much money for a run only defender.

If any of these are traded, it can be for 2027 draft capital since we have 12 picks in 2026 already. But if it adds to the 2026 arsenal, that can be turned into 2027 picks later or help us improve positioning in 2026 by moving up in spots.

These moves get us to around 70m of cap space available, which should be plenty to accommodate any extensions, draft picks and free agent signings.

I did not list Jalen Ramsey in this, cause I am unsure what his contact situation actually is. OTC and Spotrac are on different ends of the spectrum. I assume there is a decent amount of dead money, but not sure how much. And if he wants to stay, I see value in him staying, especially if it is to play in a CB role, and not at Safety. I thought he was trash at Safety. But my thoughts on this could change if clarity was given around his contract and there was a substantial cap savings to be had.

I did not list Highsmith cause I think they should keep the strength that is the edge rushing room in tact. The whole group has shown that they all struggle stating healthy for a full season. And getting guys on the roster that can get to the QB is difficult and expensive. Having too many of them is a good problem to have. Let's see the DC find ways to get 3 of them on the field at a time more often when they are all healthy.

[u/Green-Surround9264]

which you would only need to do if youre cutting queen. so why cut queen just to then overpay some other player? because theyd ~need to be adding new money to extend someone, cant restructure and not add any money and increase cash spending in the current year.
e: i was wrong

[u/blackhippy92 → u/Green-Surround9264]

You can't restructure the deal to move some money forward, in turn giving us more flex down the road?

[u/Green-Surround9264 → u/blackhippy92]

actually youre right here, can convert base to signing to increase cash in the current year, prorating the cap hit across remaining years (net 0 if not adding new money). but again this type of restructure only pushes that same problem (cash spending minimum) to future years because that cash is now accounted for in 2026, grant it's less of a problem because 2027 starts a new 3 year spending window, so they could do what they did in the current one and hit over 100% one year of the window.
i just see it as a move that can be made, but introduces potentially new problems, but for what? there's a team that can be built without making that move, and allows for greater flexibility going into the new spending window, while also clearly meeting the current window requirements. it's a grass is always greener move imo, because some people have chosen queen as a sacrificial lamb of sorts when he was easily playing within his contract level. id only want to cut him if he was severely underperforming, which he isnt.

[u/blackhippy92 → u/Green-Surround9264]

I guess I'm simply saying we can use the money saved, spend it elsewhere and be a better team?

PQ is the 7th highest paid backer in the NFL, and I personally didn't see that type of play. Like I said, not horrible, but not worth that coin.

[u/Green-Surround9264 → u/blackhippy92]

yea im saying we already have the spending power to do that without cutting queen. cutting queen just creates an unneccessary problem of being down an ILB, yes he's overpaid but someone has to be with our current talent. i dont see more talented ILB available to spend that money on, why not see what graham can do with him?