The Pittsburgh Steelers signed unrestricted free agent QB Kyle Allen to a one-year contract last week and the details related to that deal have now finally surfaced. The numbers are as expected as it is a veteran benefit deal for Allen, according to the NFLPA database.
Allen’s deal totals out at $1.2925 million, and it includes a minimum base salary of $1.125 million in addition to a signing bonus of $167,500, which is the maximum allowed in the CBA for 2024 so that it can qualify as a veteran benefit contract. The only guaranteed money in the deal is the $167,500 signing bonus.
As a veteran benefit contract, only $985,000 of Allen’s base salary will count against the Steelers’ 2024 salary cap. That is the minimum amount for a player with two credited NFL seasons. Additionally, Allen’s full signing bonus will count against the cap as well. This means that Allen’s 2024 cap charge is set to be $1.1525 million.
This is the same contract and structure that the Steelers signed WR Van Jefferson and WR Quez Watkins both to over the course of the last few weeks.
Allen enters the Steelers’ Rule 51 with his cap charge and displaces a player with a salary of $915,000. This means that the Steelers effectively used $237,500 in available salary cap space to sign Allen.
For his NFL career, Allen, who was originally signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M in 2018, has registered 441 completions for 4,734 yards with 26 touchdowns and 21 interceptions on 704 total attempts. Allen has been sacked 60 times during his NFL career and has rushed for 65 yards and four touchdowns on 65 total attempts.
Allen spent the 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills. After entering the NFL with the Panthers in 2018, Allen has since played for the Washington Commanders, Houston Texans, and Bills. He’s appeared in 30 NFL games with 19 total starts in regular-season play. He is 7-12 for his career as a starter.
Allen is the third new quarterback added by the Steelers this offseason. The team previously signed veteran QB Russell Wilson in addition to trading for QB Justin Fields.
