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PITTSBURGH -- With an empty field in front of them, $55.72 million of contracts sat on the bench at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers' postseason was cut shorter than anyone in the organization expected when they lost in a wild-card game to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. And with retirement looming in their future -- perhaps sooner than they had anticipated -- it could be the last time quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, 38, and center Maurkice Pouncey, 31, share a sideline bench together. They each have a year left on their contracts, but the two -- particularly Roethlisberger and his $41.2 million cap charge -- represent the biggest offseason conundrum facing the Steelers. Pittsburgh must build for the future while being tethered to its past. A team known for its stability will be challenged this offseason by the costly cap hits of its veterans, forcing the Steelers into either a complete rebuild or another round of extensions and restructures to push the cap charges off one more year to keep Roethlisberger's Super Bowl window cracked open. "It's very tough," said defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. "Every year, the team looks completely different. I'm appreciative of everybody in that locker room, coming to work, sacrificing, their families' sacrificing, as well. It's been a year. It's not been our year. We did some great things this year. But we didn't reach our goal. It hurts knowing we're going to lose players. Especially in the pandemic, and things have changed. But I loved every one of these guys in here." The Steelers, led by cap whiz executive Omar Khan, are known for their ability to restructure contracts and spread cap charges with extensions. That task, though, becomes increasingly difficult with players in the final years of their careers and a lower cap. Without any restructures, veterans Roethlisberger, Pouncey, Heyward, David DeCastro, Stephon Tuitt, Joe Haden and Steve Nelson already take up 71% of a projected $182.4 million salary cap, one reduced by the COVID-19 pandemic.  "It's totally possible that I could be gone next year," Heyward said after Sunday's loss. "I don't know what to expect. We are in uncharted territory to say the least, and changes have to be made. That's part of the game. We all have to deal with this."
Roethlisberger's salary alone takes up more than 40% of the 2021 salary cap -- a significant cost for a team with 19 unrestricted free agents and a handful more restricted and exclusive rights restricted free agents. Of those free agents, five started at least one game on offense, and five started at least one game on defense. Two more are special-teams mainstays, including punter Jordan Berry. JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, but on Sunday night he expressed a desire to stay in Pittsburgh. "I would love to stay in Pittsburgh," he said. "I built a strong foundation and a strong fan base. I love Coach [Mike] Tomlin and Coach Ike [Hilliard], everybody I've been around. They've helped change the way I am; I love the game of football, and I would love to do it again." But the Steelers might not be able to do it again. Even without retaining any of the free agents, the Steelers are projected to be almost $31 million over the cap with 35 players on the roster, according to ESPN's roster management system. That means free agents such as Smith-Schuster, Mike Hilton, Cam Sutton and even Bud Dupree are likely gone. The most the Steelers could reduce Roethlisberger's 2021 hit by is $19 million, through either a retirement or an extension with a restructure to spread out his base salary and roster bonus. The $22.5 million proration, though? That money is spent, and it's money that can't be used to beef up areas that need it badly, such as the offensive line, running back, and inside linebacker positions, for starters. Roethlisberger said after the game that he hasn't decided about his future, though an earlier report from ESPN's Adam Schefter said the quarterback intends to play out the final year of his contract. Roethlisberger's decision will dictate how much -- or how little -- the Steelers are able to do in free agency.
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