4 free agents the Steelers can sign thanks to increased salary cap
By Mark Powell
Can the Steelers afford Daron Payne?
Daron Payne finished the season with 11.5 sacks for the Washington Commanders. Payne is a free agent after this season, and given he played a demanding position, will cost a pretty penny to sign. Per Spotrac, Payne’s average salary could come in just shy of $20 million.
It’s no secret that the Steelers couldn’t afford that kind of contract without some serious cap gymnastics, but stick with me here. Pittsburgh’s defensive line is in flux beyond Cameron Heyward, who is getting up there in age anyway. Larry Ogunjobi, Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley will all be free agents as well. Spending the majority of that money on Payne, who is just 25 years old, could give the Steelers one of the best defensive lines in football and a suitable replacement for a Pro Bowler in Heyward in the trenches once he retires.
CBS Sports agrees, as Jordan Dajani writes: “Daron Payne is coming off of a career year in which he recorded 64 combined tackles, 11.5 sacks, 20 QB hits and five passes defended. It’s difficult to stand out on a defensive line that features Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat and Chase Young, but Payne absolutely did, and made his first Pro Bowl.”
Signing Payne would take some serious negotiating, and it would probably mean Pittsburgh’s depth would be tested at the position next season barring an d-line heavy draft class. But in the long run, it’s worth it.