Steelers Free Salary Cap Space in Dotson Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers will save nearly $2.75 million in salary cap space thanks to their trade of guard Kevin Dotson to the Los Angeles Rams.

Dotson was set to count for $2.9 million against the team’s salary cap in 2023. His trade will leave the Steelers with a $164,704 dead cap hit and free up $2.743 million before salary displacement.

Dotson had been the 19th-highest paid Steelers player for the 2023 season. He was still on his rookie contract, but received a performance-based pay raise for the fourth year of his deal. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season.

With the trade, the Steelers have now have approximately $10.8 million in current, offseason salary cap space. When factoring in known future expenses and a buffer for in-season moves, the Steelers likely need to clear another $6 million from their salary cap obligations before the start of the season.

There are several ways to accomplish that, including restructuring the contracts of one or more veteran players. Restructuring T.J. Watt’s contract can clear up to $12.6 million in 2023 salary cap space alone.

But the Steelers also have a path to being salary cap complaint without restructuring Watt’s deal. Several players that are currently in the Top 51 contracts, including wide receiver Gunner Olszewski ($2.6 million), safety Miles Killebrew ($2.5 million), center Kendrick Green ($1.3 million), cornerback James Pierre ($1.3 million) and tight end Zach Gentry ($1.2 million) are on the roster bubble and could potentially be replaced with cheaper players.

Another trade for draft picks like the move to send Dotson to the Rams could also clear space for the Steelers to get under the cap without needing a major restructure.

Restructuring contracts clears money in the short-term, but adds it to future years of the deal. Restructuring Watt’s deal this season fully would make his cap hit over $36 million in 2024 and 2025.