Steelers investing big money in their offensive line

The Steelers just invested another $100 million in their franchise quarterback last month. It should not go without notice that they are also investing heavily in the offensive linemen that protects him.

On Thursday, the Steelers picked up the fifth year option on guard David DeCastro, who will earn $8 million in 2016 if the Steelers do not negotiate a long-term deal with him before then.

The Steelers already have two other starting offensive linemen signed to lucrative long-term contracts and hope to complete another with left tackle Kelvin Beachum before the start of the season.

In 2016, center Maurkice Pouncey will count $10.5 million against the salary cap. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert will count $6.4 million against the cap.

That’s $25 million invested in three offensive linemen. Let’s assume the salary cap goes up from $143 million to $150 million for the ’16 season. That’s 17 percent of the team’s cap tied up in three players.

If the Steelers and Beachum are able to complete a long-term contract Beachum’s cap hit for 2016 could be around $ 3 million in ’16. That’s if the Steelers structure the deal in similar fashion to the one they did last summer for Gilbert, who is earning $30 million over five years. 

And let’s assume that Ramon Foster plays well enough this season in the final year of his contract that the Steelers want to bring him back for 2016 at $2 million on a one-year deal. Even if they don’t, the player who replaces Foster would earn around $1 million, so there would not be much of a difference.

That would be approximately $30 million invested in the five starters along the line, or 20 percent of their salary cap. Add in Ben Roethlisberger’s $24 million and Antonio Brown’s $12 million cap numbers in ‘16, and the Steelers would be investing $48 million, or 32 percent of their cap, in seven offensive players.

And let’s keep in mind that’s not counting a potential big cap number if the Steelers sign Le’Veon Bell to a second contract. For comparison’s sake, DeMarco Murray signed a five-year, $40 million deal with Philadelphia this spring, with $18 million in guaranteed money. Bell will seek more for his deal.

It’s a sign of the times in Pittsburgh, where most of the salary cap space traditionally had been tied up in important defensive players. Now it’s flipped with offensive players eating up the cap space.

The top seven cap hits for Steelers defenders in ‘16 as it stands today are: $11.8 million (Lawrence Timmons), $ 6.9 million (PROJECTED for Cam Heyward) $6.7 million (Mike Mitchell), $5.7 million (Cortez Allen), $3.1 million (Arthur Moats), $2.7 million (Jarvis Jones) and $2.5 million (Ryan Shazier).

That’s $ 39 million tied up in seven defensive players compared to $48 million in the top seven offensive players. Certainly, being lucky enough to have a franchise quarterback is part of the equation, but not all of it.

Remember, it wasn’t all that long ago the Steelers won a Super Bowl with Justin Hartwig, Willie Colon, Darnell Stapleton, Max Starks and Chris Kemoeatu as the starting five on the offensive line.

Lots can happen between now and the beginning of next season. Players can get their deals extended and cap hits lowered, others could be released. But it’s not hard to see the Steelers are building their team around a core of offensive players that have proven their worth, while their defense attempts to regain its footing with a core of younger players that are in the process of proving their worth.

Note: Cap numbers according to overthecap.com