Steelers Urged to Cut Former Pro Bowler To Save Cap Space

Heading into the 2024 NFL offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to see some big changes to their franchise.

The team needs a new offensive coordinator and could make other changes to their coaching staff.

Pittsburgh could also use upgrades along the offensive line, at multiple defensive positions and at quarterback.

These updates require some space. The team has plenty of options for players they could cut to free up cap space, and one of them could be a former Pro Bowler.

Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette thinks wide receiver Allen Robinson should be one of those players. Robinson has been disappointing in his first season with the Steelers, and letting him go could create more room for other moves the Steelers need to make.

A bet that didn’t pay off for the Steelers

When the Steelers traded Robinson, they knew they were taking a risk. The purchase price was not very high. They traded a 7th round pick with the Rams. But he still had a very difficult contract.

Robinson was just entering the second year of a three-year, $46.5 million contract when he was acquired by the Steelers. It was a huge investment for a receiver who hasn’t even reached 500 yards since 2020.

It was an investment that paid off for the Steelers. Robinson rushed just 34 times for 280 yards and a touchdown in 2023.

It is now expected to reach $11.9 million by 2024. That’s a huge commitment for a receiver who hasn’t accomplished much in his first year with the team.

Fortunately, his contract could easily be voided. Robinson is only worth $1.9 million next season. That means the Steelers would save $10 million in cap space if they released Robinson.

It’s a very important move for a team that will take over without Robinson. Pittsburgh has a lot of talented passers.

The Steelers defense may be the franchise’s most storied defense, but their ability to find talent at receiver has been just as impressive throughout the decades of defense.

Since 1998, the team has drafted Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster, Deontay Johnson and George Pickenster. That’s the most absurd number of receivers to have a 1,000-yard season for a franchise in 26 years, and two of them are still on the roster.

Johnson and Pickens should be enough for most teams to have success in the passing game. Johnson was a consistent producer during his time with the Steelers and Pickens showed he could be a star in the league with a 1,140-yard season.

But none of those guys are pass catchers for the Steelers. There’s Pat Fryermuth, who has 738 yards in 2022.

In his first healthy season, Calvin Austin III gave his team just 180 yards on 35 percent of the field. Darnell Washington had just seven wins as a rookie, but the third-round pick could contribute again for Pittsburgh next season.

The Steelers have plenty of options at receiver and may choose to use a late pick to put someone in the slot. The $10 million saved on Robinson would be better spent elsewhere on the roster.