Reports that the Steelers weren’t going to cut safety Troy Polamalu have been proven correct.
What those reports did not predict was that Polamalu would get a contract extension, but that’s what the Steelers announced on Wednesday. Both Polamalu and tight end Heath Miller have been locked up through the 2016 season.
Polamalu had an $8.25 million salary for 2014, the final year of his deal, and new numbers weren’t part of the team’s announcement. It’s a safe bet that his cap hit will come down this season, though, as the Steelers need the space and now have two more years to spread out the full toll of his deal on the cap.
Miller’s restructuring had been previously reported, but not the extra years. Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports that Miller’s cap number for 2014 has been slashed from $9.5 million to just over $6.1 million. His base salaries for 2015 and 2016 are reportedly $4 million.
The moves don’t solve all the cap woes in Pittsburgh and push some issues into the future, but they were needed as the Steelers make their way below the cap before next week.