After the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2020 NFL season ended in disappointing fashion against the Cleveland Browns, several question marks are swirling. One such question regards the future of Maurkice Pouncey. What could Maurkice Pouncey’s potential retirement mean regarding his contract and the effect on the Steelers’ salary cap?
Maurkice Pouncey has one year remaining on his contract
Maurkice Pouncey signed a two-year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the 2019 season. His new deal signed him to the Steelers through the 2021 NFL season. The 2021 NFL season would be Pouncey’s 12th season with the Steelers after being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Florida.
How much was Pouncey’s new contract worth when he signed it?
Maurkice Pouncey’s two-year contract extension was worth $22 million at the time of signing. The contract carried a $9 million signing bonus, with $12 million guaranteed at signing. Pouncey’s contract paid him a $3 million roster bonus in 2019 and 2020. However, Pouncey restructured the deal ahead of the 2020 season, converting base salary and roster bonus into a signing bonus.
Therefore, in 2021, Pouncey was set to count $14.475 million against the Steelers’ salary cap. Of that, $8 million comes in non-guaranteed salary, with $6.475 million in prorated signing bonus.
What impact would Pouncey’s potential retirement have on his salary cap number?
With just one year remaining on Maurkice Pouncey’s contract, the Steelers do not have to worry about any dead money in prorated bonus accelerating onto the salary cap. However, with $6.475 million in prorated bonus already on the cap for the 2021 season, the Steelers will need to carry that in dead money. There is no realistic way for the Steelers to avoid that dead money hitting their cap in 2021.
The Steelers will get $8 million in salary cap relief if Pouncey retires
With Maurkice Pouncey’s contract for the 2021 season containing zero guaranteed money, the Steelers could part ways with Pouncey and have it cost nothing more than the prorated bonus. Even if the money were guaranteed, Pouncey’s retirement would clear that cap space regardless.
Therefore, if he retires, Pouncey’s $8 million in salary would no longer count against the Steelers’ cap. How does that leave the Steelers’ cap situation heading into the 2021 offseason?
What is the Steelers’ salary cap situation if Maurkice Pouncey retires?
With Pouncey counting $14.475 million against the cap, the Steelers are projected to be $34 million over the cap as of January 25th. They could reduce that to $26 million in the event of Pouncey’s retirement as he would clear $8 million of their $214 million cap number.
Therefore, even with the removal of Maurkice Pouncey’s contract from their cap number, the Steelers would still need to clear more space.
Could Ben Roethlisberger follow Pouncey out of Pittsburgh?
Roethlisberger and Pouncey have been together for 11 seasons. Therefore, the thought of continuing without his trusted center is likely daunting for Roethlisberger. The veteran QB may not be willing to invest the time and effort to build a rapport with a new center. Ben Roethlisberger’s contract situation has him set to earn $41 million in the 2021 season.
If Roethlisberger were to follow Pouncey into retirement, he would save the Steelers a further $19 million in cap space. That would leave the Steelers needing to clear just another $7 million in cap space ahead of the start of the 2021 NFL league year.
The Steelers have a number of options to clear cap space in 2021
The way the Steelers’ contracts are structured entering 2021 means there is no shortage of potential cut candidates in 2021. If we assume that Maurkice Pouncey’s contract will be off the books, but Roethlisberger will continue, the Steelers need to open up over $26 million in cap space.
They have the option to extend players such as T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, and David DeCastro. Those moves could save as much as $20 million against the cap. They could also consider moving on from some players. Vance McDonald has already announced he is retiring, saving over $5 million in cap space. His fellow tight end, Eric Ebron, could follow him out of the door, saving another $6 million.
The Steelers then have some tough decisions to make on their defense. Do they keep both Steven Nelson and Joe Haden? Cutting either of those could save between $7 million and $8.25 million, respectively. However, if Roethlisberger is returning, do the Steelers want to cut valuable veterans like Nelson or Haden? The Steelers are left with some tough questions in the coming weeks.
The retirement of Maurkice Pouncey and the removal of his contract would take one of those decisions out of their hands at least.