The start of the 2023 NFL league has now come and gone and on top of that, the main portion of the offseason free agent signing period has now slowed to a crawl. Since March 15th, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made several signings. Additionally, the team even restructured the contract of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to clear additional 2023 salary cap space. While the team could still make a few more signings prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, for the most part, the bulk of the offseason work has now been completed. With the annual draft up next, it’s a good time to look ahead at a few players from the 2022 team that are are currently under contract who might not make stay on the roster all offseason, depending on how the selections in Kansas City work out.
CB Ahkello Witherspoon – While Witherspoon did survive the start of the new league year, his $4 million base salary for the 2023 season might be hard for the team to sit on throughout the remainder of the summer depending on how the team’s 2023 draft selections play out. The Steelers are expected to draft at least one cornerback a few weeks from now and possibly even two. Including Witherspoon, the Steelers currently have seven cornerbacks under contract as we near the 2023 NFL Draft. Adding another one or two during the draft could result in Witherspoon having his contract terminated by the start of the on-the-field portion of OTAs.
Last season, Witherspoon only played in four games due to a hamstring injury. When healthy, he’s not much of a special teams asset and that fact, along with his $4 million base salary, makes him a prime candidate to be cut after the 2023 NFL Draft ends. Based on the team’s current Rule of 51 situation, the Steelers would clear a little more than $3 million in 2023 salary cap space by cutting Witherspoon after roster displacement takes place.
G Kevin Dotson – The Steelers made quite an effort to address their interior line this offseason via free agency as two guards, Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, were both signed. The addition of those two players, along with the interest the team has shown in other interior offensive line draft prospects the last several weeks, now makes Dotson’s future with the Steelers seem really shaky. This offseason, Dotson saw his 2023 base salary increase up to $2.743 million as a result of him quaffing for a Proven Performance Escalator. While that amount isn’t overly hefty for a backup player, Dotson could still become expendable after the 2023 NFL Draft takes place or even during it. If the Steelers were to trade any one player currently under contract during the draft, Dotson would seem to be the best candidate and especially if the team could get a fifth or sixth round selection in exchange for him.
Should Dotson remain with the Steelers through the draft, his chances of making it to training camp likely would improve, unless the team were to draft another interior offensive lineman in the first two days. His status will certainly be worth watching once the draft gets underway. Based on the team’s current Rule of 51 situation, the Steelers would clear just $1.803 million in 2023 salary cap space by parting ways with Dotson after roster displacement takes place.
DT Montravius Adams – The Steelers figure to draft a defensive lineman or two at the end of the month and on the heels of the team signing defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko on the cheap. While the Steelers defensive line room isn’t overly deep ahead of the draft, it might look a lot better after it concludes. Should that be the case, Adams, who is set to earn a base salary of $2.5 million in 2023, might become expendable ahead of OTAs getting underway.
Like Dotson, Adams’ 2023 salary isn’t overly cumbersome for the Steelers as a backup player, which is really what he is. Even if Adams makes it to OTAs and subsequently to training camp, he probably shouldn’t be considered a lock to make the team’s Week 1 53-man roster come September. Based on the team’s current Rule of 51 situation, the Steelers would clear just $ 1.56 million in 2023 salary cap space by parting ways with Adams after roster displacement takes place.
WR Gunner Olszewski – The Steelers certainly seem destined to draft another wide receiver this year and quite frankly, it will be surprising if they don’t. Should a drafted wide receiver be slot capable, Olszewski would then become somewhat expendable this offseason. To his credit, Olszewski does have return capabilities. Another thing to keep in mind is that Olszewski’s 2023 base salary is set to be just $2 million, which helps his cause of sticking on the offseason roster long after the 2023 NFL Draft is over with.
The Steelers have already lost wide receiver Steven Sims during free agency this offseason and so far, fellow wide receiver Miles Boykin, a good special teams player, remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent. Like all other players listed in this post, Olszewski shouldn’t be considered a lock to make the 53-man roster come Week 1 should he make it to OTAs and beyond. Based on the team’s current Rule of 51 situation, the Steelers would clear just $ 1.06 million in 2023 salary cap space by parting ways with Olszewski after roster displacement takes place.
In closing, it isn’t likely that all four of Witherspoon, Dotson, Adams, and Olszewski will be former Steelers by the time OTAs get underway. That said, one or two of them might be. Because of the $4 million base salary that he’s scheduled to make in 2023, Witherspoon should be considered to have the highest probability of being a former member of the Steelers come a few weeks from now. Dotson probably follows Witherspoon when it comes to such probabilities and that’s mainly because he’s the most likely to be traded during the 2023 NFL Draft, if any players are even dealt at all. All of that noted, all four of Witherspoon, Dotson, Adams, and Olszewski might not be on the Steelers 53-man roster come Week 1 of the 2023 regular season.
