As expected, we saw two players on the Pittsburgh Steelers receive raises for the 2023 season due to them both qualifying for Proven Performance Escalators. Those two players who received those raises were outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and guard Kevin Dotson.
With those raises now behind us, let’s look at the Steelers players now in line to receive PPE raises for 2024 but before we do so, let’s once again review the criteria for such an increase in pay.
In the league’s new CBA, the Proven Performance Escalator is now a three-level, non-negotiable amount in which a player’s base salary in the fourth year of his rookie contract increases if he meets certain predetermined thresholds.
The Level One PPE in the CBA is structured differently for second-round picks and those selected in Rounds 3 through 7. To qualify for Level One, second-round picks must either (a) play 60 percent of his team’s offensive or defensive plays in any two of his first three seasons or (b) participate in a cumulative average of 60 percent of his team’s offensive or defensive plays over the course of his first three regular seasons. For third- through seventh-round picks, players can hit either (a) or (b) above, but the threshold to reach drops to 35 percent of such plays. For such players, the Level One PPE increases a player’s fourth-year base salary by the difference of the original-round tender for restricted free agents set for the player’s fourth season and the player’s Year 4 rookie salary, less any signing bonus prorations. This amount is then added to the player’s Year 4 base salary.
A player selected in the second through seventh round will qualify for the Level Two PPE if he participates in 55 percent of his team’s offensive or defensive plays in each of his first three regular seasons. The amount of the Level Two PPE is the difference of the original-round tender in the player’s fourth season and his Year 4 rookie salary (minus any signing bonus prorations), plus $250,000. This amount is then added to the player’s year-four base salary.
To qualify for the Level Three PPE, a second- through seventh-round pick must be selected to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot in at least one of his first three seasons. The Level Three PPE is equal to the difference between the second-round tender for restricted free agents and the player’s Year 4 rookie salary, less any signing bonus prorations. The player’s Year 4 base salary increases by this amount.
Based on the criteria above, we have three Steelers’ players that are on track to receive PPE raises in 2024 and they are tight end Pat Freiermuth, tackle Dan Moore and even center Kendrick Green.
Let’s start with reviewing the situation with Freiermuth, who is now locked into receiving at least a Level Two PPE raise for 2024 after playing 58.2% and 64.1%, respectively, of all offensive snaps in his first two NFL seasons, according to Over the Cap. This means that Freiermuth’s projected increase for 2024 is to an estimated $2,992,000 (predicted original-round tender for RFAs) plus another $250,000. Freiermuth, however, still has a shot at qualifying for a Level Three PPE raise but to secure that, he would need to be an original ballot Pro Bowl selection after the 2023 season. That’s certainly plausible. As part of his rookie contract, Freiermuth was scheduled to earn a base salary in 2024 of $1,482,024.
Next, let’s review the situation with Moore. Like Freiermuth, he is also now locked into receiving at least a Level Two PPE raise for 2024 after playing 92.1% and 100%, respectively, of all offensive snaps in his first two NFL seasons. This means that like Freiermuth, Moore’s projected increase for 2024 is to an estimated $2,992,000 (predicted original-round tender for RFAs) plus another $250,000. Moore also still has a shot at qualifying for a Level Three PPE raise but to secure that, he would need to be an original ballot Pro Bowl selection after the 2023 season. Unlike Freiermuth, however, Moore’s not likely to be an original ballot Pro Bowl selection after the 2023 season. As part of his rookie contract, Moore was scheduled to earn a base salary in 2024 of $1,055,000.
Finally, let’s look at Green’s current situation as it is really the most intriguing of the three players. After playing 83.3% of all offensive snaps in his 2021 rookie season, Green failed to play a single snap in 2022. That has resulted in a two-year average for Green of 41.7% snaps played and thus he now enters the 2023 season above the Level One PPE threshold. Even so, Green, assuming he sticks on the roster, would likely need to play some modest number of snaps during the 2023 season to end his first three seasons with an average of 35% or better.
Should he achieve such a feat, which, in my honest opinion, he’s unlikely to do, Green would be set for a projected increase for 2024 of an estimated $2,992,000 (projected original-round tender for RFAs). Sure, he could still technically qualify for a Level Three PPE raise, but I think most reading this would agree that him making the Pro Bowl after the 2023 season is next to impossible. Personally, I think Green would do well to even stick on the Steelers roster all season.
Beyond Freiermuth, Moore and Green, two other members of the Steelers’ 2021 draft class, defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk and safety Tre Norwood, both still technically have shots at receiving PPE raises for 2024. To do so, however, both would need to play an insane number of snaps on defense in 2023, which obviously isn’t likely to happen.
