Pittsburgh Steelers veterans who could be cut in 2022
The Pittsburgh Steelers cut future Hall of Fame guard David DeCastro this week, proving they aren't afraid to make a risky roster move.
2021 could be the Steelers' last chance at a Super Bowl for some time. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will likely retire after this season and the team doesn't have a Super Bowl-caliber signal-caller on its roster. 2022 could mark the beginning of a rebuild in Pittsburgh and they will have the cap space to execute it.
The Steelers could also shed some veterans on decent-sized contracts. Here are three players that stand out as being on the chopping block in 2022 without a strong 2021 showing.
3 Players the Pittsburgh Steelers Could Cut in 2022
#1 - Cameron Heyward
Cam Heyward was drafted in the first round back in 2011 and has been an anchor on the defensive line. He's made four straight Pro Bowls and has been a captain and leader of the defense.
He's 32 and signed a four-year deal in 2020. His production has slowly declined since his best year in 2017. His cap hit this year is just $17 million but increases to $22 million for the next two years.
It's unlikely that Heyward will be cut, but if he suffers a further decline, the Pittsburgh Steelers could make the move. David DeCastro voiced some displeasure with the team after his release and this would further the fact that the front office is all about money.
#2 - Chris Boswell
Kicker Chris Boswell was almost cut after a horrible showing in 2018. He converted just 65% of his field goals and 89.6% of his PATs. Boswell has only missed three total FGs over the last two seasons but missed four PATs last year.
He's set to become a free agent in 2023 but his contract could make it an easy decision for the Steelers to cut him. He has a cap hit of $5 million in 2022 but the dead money is just $1.6 million. Factor in his lingering groin injury from last year and this seems like an inevitable move for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
#3 - Chris Wormley
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded a fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for defensive end Chris Wormley and a seventh-round pick. The former 2017 third-round pick was brought in to add some depth to the defensive line.
They handed him a two-year contract earlier in 2021 but that doesn't mean he will stick around to see it through. He's currently fourth on the depth chart and the Steelers have much more depth than they did a year ago. Wormely never wowed anyone last year and didn't expect to be back, let alone get a two-year deal.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers cut Wormley after this year, they erase a $3 million cap hit and will just incur $600,000 in dead money.