NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers release CB Steven Nelson
After two seasons together, Pittsburgh Steelers and Steven Nelson parted ways on Tuesday. The cornerback was actively seeking a trade away from the Steelers, but a cryptic tweet from Nelson was seemingly the last straw for the franchise.
Nelson's post on Twitter was directed at the Steelers, saying "don't hold me hostage." All signs pointed to Pittsburgh and shortly after the post, the team announced that the two sides would be parting ways. Instead of being traded, the former Steelers cornerback now hits the free agency market.
With teams already having committed a major chunk of their available cap space, the market for the veteran cornerback is looking slim. Let's take a look at the market value for the new free agent corner Steven Nelson.
NFL Free Agency: What is Steven Nelson's market value now that he's entering free agency?
After spending four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Nelson signed a three-year, $25.5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2019 off-season. By releasing the cornerback, the Pittsburgh Steelers will save $8.25 million in cap space.
Given his experience, Nelson will be a sought-after player even this late in free agency. Teams looking to upgrade their secondary will be in the hunt to sign the 28-year-old.
The Indianapolis Colts have the most cap space with $43.1 million, but they are stacked at the cornerback position and will likely pass on signing Nelson. The Jacksonville Jaguars are next on the list with $41.1 million in cap space. Jacksonville added Shaquill Griffin to the roster but could use Nelson as well.
Urban Meyer has been focusing on improving the Jaguars def this off-season. Adding Steven Nelson would be another upgrade for the Jaguars defense. If the Jacksonville Jaguars do end up landing Steven Nelson, their trio of cornerbacks of Shaquill Griffin, C.J. Henderson and Nelson will form one of the best secondaries in the NFL.