Field Yates reports that the Steelers have restructured the contracts of G David DeCastro and DE Stephon Tuitt to gain $13.26 million in available cap space.
Yates adds that both players reduced their base salaries to $790,000 for the 2018 season and converted the rest of their contract to a signing bonus.
DeCastro is set to collect a $6.79 million signing bonus, while Tuitt’s signing bonus comes to $10.21 million. With the added cap room, Yates mentions that this could help the team’s ability to retain impending free-agent RB Le’Veon Bell.
Tuitt, 24, is a former second-round pick of the Steelers back in 2014. He’s entering the second year of a six-year, $61 million contract that included an $11 million signing bonus. He was set to earn a base salary of $3,500,000 for 2018 to go along with a $7 million roster bonus.
In 2017, Tuitt appeared in 12 games for the Steelers and recorded 25 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumbles and two pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 18 interior defensive lineman out of 122 qualifying players.
DeCastro, 28, is a former first-round pick by the Steelers back in 2012. He is entering the third year of a six-year, $58.07 million contract that incuded a $16 million signing bonus. He was set to earn a base salary of $3.79 million in 2018 to go along with a $3.79 million roster bonus.
He was selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl after being rated as one of the best guards in the league.
In 2017, DeCastro appeared in 15 games for the Steelers and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the No. 2 overall guard out of 77 qualifying players.
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