Steelers will devote $5 million in cap space to their top two quarterbacks, combined
The salary cap has spiked this year to $255.4 million. The Steelers will be devoting a fraction of it to their top two quarterbacks.
Kenny Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick, has a cap number for 2024 of $3.8 million. Newcomer Russell Wilson will have a cap number of $1.2 million, if he takes (as expected) a one-year deal for the league minimum.
That's $5 million for their top two quarterbacks. Or 1.9 percent of the total cap, on QB1 and QB2.
That makes the Wilson move even more of a coup for the Steelers. To get a potential starter that cheap allows the Steelers to divert resources elsewhere, making the team better, either by signing free agents or extending the contracts of young, rising players. Or by keeping older players with higher cap numbers.
However it's used, the Wilson signing gives the Steelers a cap windfall. If he plays well, it'll be even better.
