Every NFL training camp starts with everybody undefeated. But by late August, the Steelers will have to make cuts. And this year, the math is especially cruel for a couple of veterans who’ve been around the block.
The new era in Pittsburgh is real. Mike McCarthy is in charge after Mike Tomlin’s departure. Aaron Rodgers is on his farewell tour — 22 years, one last run. The front office went out and got DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. to throw to. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are in the backfield. Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt and Patrick Queen are still wrecking offenses on the other side. The roster looks legit.
The problem for some of the older guys? That depth chart is stacked, and the cap space isn’t infinite.
Malik Harrison’s Paycheck Doesn’t Match His Role Anymore
Malik Harrison has always been the kind of player coaches love. Tough. Physical. Special teams reliable. Every team needs guys who’ll hit the wedge on kick coverage and not complain about it.
But Harrison is carrying a $6.8 million cap hit in 2026. That’s starter money for a backup inside linebacker. And behind Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson, the depth at that position is suddenly deep. Cole Holcomb is still around. Carson Bruener has been turning heads. So where does Harrison fit? Probably not in the defensive rotation unless injuries hit.
Special teams is real value. Nobody’s arguing that. But when you’re paying a guy like he’s a starter and using him like a role player, front offices start asking hard questions. Especially when the alternative is a younger player making a fraction of the money with potential upside.
The Steelers didn’t sign Harrison to his current deal expecting this problem. But contracts age badly in the NFL. And this one is starting to look like a sore thumb.
Dean Lowry Is Getting Squeezed by a Loaded D-Line Room
Dean Lowry was a smart signing on paper. Veteran presence. Solid against the run. The kind of pro who shows up, does his job, doesn’t cause headaches. Coaches love those guys in September when the bumps and bruises start piling up.
The problem is what’s around him. Cameron Heyward isn’t going anywhere. Keeanu Benton has developed into a legit interior disruptor. The Steelers added Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black in the draft. Sebastian Joseph-Day came over in free agency. And young guys like Logan Lee, Esezi Otomewo and Gabriel Rubio are pushing for roster spots too.
That’s a lot of bodies for a limited number of jersey gameday. And the younger guys come cheaper. They also come with more athletic upside and room to grow. Lowry is what he is — a dependable veteran whose best football is probably behind him.
Experience matters in a long season. But it doesn’t always win when the front office is looking at the cap sheet and seeing a wave of rookies playing at a fraction of the cost.
Pittsburgh thinks it can make noise this year. The Rodgers signing made that clear. But that also means the roster has to be ruthless. There’s no room to carry expensive backups who aren’t in the top two at their position.
Harrison and Lowry have been good pros. That’s not in question. But the NFL doesn’t hand out roster spots for past service. And this Steelers roster is built to win now. That’s exactly why both of them could end up as some of the more surprising cuts when camp wraps up.
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