While the Pittsburgh Steelers have a long list of pending free agents, they could add to that list by making offseason cuts to save money. Three players appeared on Over the Cap Nick Korte’s list of 100 potential cap causalities: DL Larry Ogunjobi, LB Cole Holcomb, and OG Isaac Seumalo.
Based on Korte’s math, Holcomb has the highest chance of a “negative fate,” paycut or release, at over 76 percent. Ogunjobi and Seumalo are tied at 62.5 percent.
Holcomb missed all of 2024 after suffering a severe knee injury in November 2023. Details of the injury aren’t known but they were serious enough to have Holcomb spend the offseason rehabbing and the entire year on the PUP list. He returned to practice for the final two weeks of the season, working fully by year’s end, but wasn’t activated to the 53-man roster.
With Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson under contract and Elandon Roberts eager to re-sign, it’s difficult to see where Holcomb fits at his value. He signed a three-year, $18 million contract ahead of 2023 to serve as a majority-snap linebacker. He played well before the injury, but given its severe nature, the Steelers quickly went out and replenished the position. With a $2 million roster bonus due sometime next year, Pittsburgh seems unlikely to carry him into 2025.
Ogunjobi is entering the final season of a three-year, $28.75 million extension signed in March of 2023. Though he remained healthier this season and has always shown flashes of quality play, his game continues to be inconsistent and his production light. He finished 2024 with just seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. While Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton routinely swatted passes down at the line, Ogunjobi finished with zero. He lost out on sub-package reps to Benton, a sure-fire sign of his reduced role and likely final year with the team. He’s owed a $3 million roster bonus in March and it would be an upset if the team picks it up.
Seumalo’s listed odds of being cut are far too high. With a manageable base salary under $7 million and the immediate hole created should the team cut him, he’s likely to return next season. His 2024 campaign was average, but he was impacted by a pec injury right before the season that cost him the first month. It’s doubtful he returned at 100 percent, impacting his play. With left tackle Dan Moore slated to hit free agency, Pittsburgh would be foolish to tear down the left side of their line and start from scratch.
The player with the highest chance of being cut/paycut on Korte’s list is Jacksonville Jaguars WR Christian Kirk (78.7 percent), a player the Steelers reportedly planned to trade for before Kirk suffered a season-ending broken collarbone. Several other veteran receivers closely follow in the Seattle Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett and Detroit Lions’ wideout Khalif Raymond.
