How about a minor 2023 salary cap update for the Pittsburgh Steelers on this Super Wild Card Sunday?
Well, it’s not a major one, really, but it might make you feel a little better about the team being slightly under a predicted 2023 salary cap number of $225 million, as opposed to slightly over such a number.
The update? Well, it revolves around cornerback William Jackson III, who is likely to be jettisoned in the very near future.
In short, and shame on me for forgetting to adjust this, a good chunk of the $750,000 per-game roster bonus that Jackson is scheduled to earn in 2023 is now considered NLTBE (not likely to be earned). That’s because Jackson was only active for just four games in 2022. If you want the math associated with that, it is $750,000/17*4= $176,471. That $176,471 now replaces the $750,000 charge in the roster bonus column for Jackson in 2023.
So, what does that change do to our estimated Steelers 2023 Rule of 51 number? Well, it moves it $573,529 in total. It now means that based on our detail look at the Steelers’ 2023 Rule of 51 that the team is essentially $241,147 under a cap number of $225 million.
As I stated in my last few cap updates, my numbers account for the proven Performance Escalators increases that outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and guard Kevin Dotson are set to receive. Additionally, my numbers include cornerback Cameron Sutton already counting in the dead money column with his contract set to void in several more weeks. I also have the 2023 NFLPA offseason workout bonus placeholder amount in place in my figures as well.
Overall, the slight movement on the Jackson 2023 cap number probably isn’t that big of deal as there’s a really good chance he’ll be released way before the start of the new league year in the middle of March. After trading for Jackson in the early part of November, the veteran cornerback never played a down for the steelers and he ended the 2022 season the team’s Reserve/Injured list.
Below are all the updated salary cap graphics for you to look at on this Sunday.
