The Steelers have created a bit of extra salary cap space by restructuring left tackle Alejandro Villanueva‘s contract, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Villanueva had been scheduled to collect a $3MM base salary and a $3MM roster bonus in 2018, but the majority of that money has now been converted into a signing bonus. Given that Villanueva’s roster bonus was due on Saturday, the third day of the 2018 league year, Pittsburgh had to act now to avoid that figure hitting their cap immediately. All told, the Steelers will create nearly $4MM in cap room, per Fowler.
Villanueva, who has been the Steelers’ left tackle for the better part of three seasons, inked a four-year, $24MM extension last summer, so he’s under contract through the 2020 campaign. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, had been projected to be over the cap in 2018, but they’ve since reworked Antonio Brown‘s deal and will release Mike Mitchell and William Gay in other cost-cutting measures.
Villanueva deserves a raise.
No he doesn’t, he is not that good
Yes, he is.
He should get a stand alone contract.