Contract Details For Steelers Newest Linebackers Revealed After Big Signings In 2023 Free Agency

During the 2023 Free Agency period, the Pittsburgh Steelers beefed up their linebacker core, signing two different free agents. Now that enough time has passed, the full details of both contracts have been released and are on Over The Cap. Under new linebackers coach, Aaron Curry, this brand-new group should help provide quality play to a position group that has not had any sort of consistency since before Ryan Shazier's tragic injury in 2017.

What Do These Contracts Look Like For The Steelers And The New Linebackers?

Cole Holcomb's contract starts off with a $4.92 million signing bonus with the same amount being guaranteed to Holcomb over his 3-year deal. The signing bonus will count for $1.64 million against the cap each year. His first year has a $1.08 million base salary. With the signing bonus proration, he will count for $2.72 million against the cap in 2023.

Holcomb will count for $7.64 million against the cap in both 2024 and 2025. The difference in those two years is that 2024 has a higher base salary. His base salary is $6 million in 2024, as opposed to $4 million in 2025. The other $2 million comes from a roster bonus in 2025. The $1.64 million signing bonus proration affects both years of the cap, pushing the number to the aforementioned $7.64 million. 

Like with Cole Holcomb's contract, Elandon Roberts' signing bonus is the exact same as his guaranteed money, both of which being $2.335 million. With it being a two-year deal, that number will be cut in half for each year leading to $1,167,500 going against the cap each year, along with the base salary. Besides the exact numbers and years, Roberts' contract was structured just like Holcomb's.

There are no roster bonuses so each year will just be the base salary plus the prorated bonus. In 2023, the base salary is just short of the prorated bonus at $1.165 million, leading to a cap hit of $2,332,500 for 2023. His 2024 base salary is $3.5 million which will lead to a cap hit of $4,667,500 in 2024. The dead cap in Roberts' final year is only the prorated bonus from the signing bonus. 

The Steelers also seem to be keeping a depth option at linebacker with a former Mr. Irrelevant in Tae Crowder, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Giants late in the 2022 season. He has a $1.01 million cap hit which will be from the base salary in 2023. If he doesn't make the roster, the Steelers will not have to deal with any dead cap. It won't matter if he is cut before of after June 1st, even though he will likely stay on the team for much-needed depth, along with another former seventh round pick in Mark Robinson.