According to Scott Brown of ESPN.com, Steelers OLB LaMarr Woodley is going to have to take a “significant pay cut” or the team will be forced to “seriously consider releasing him.”
Pittsburgh signed Woodley to a six-year deal worth $61.5 million and includes $22.5 million guaranteed in 2011, which just happens to be the largest contract handed out to a player in Steelers history.
Woodley, 29, has dealt with numerous injuries this year that has limited him to just 11 games this season. Since signing the contract, Woodley has missed 14 games due and has 18 sacks in the 34 games.
In 2013, Woodley 36 tackles and five sacks to go along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Pittsburgh will have some big decisions to make this offseason as their cap situation continues to be pretty bad. On top of that, Jason Worilds is set to become an unrestricted free agent and has really taken a step forward this year.
The problem with this idea, however, is that releasing Woodley this offseason would have a negative impact on the team’s salary cap in 2014, according to Overthecap.com. The Steelers could still designate him as a June 1 release, which would at least free up a few million dollars of cap space.
There is no question that Pittsburgh will need to make major changes this offseason.
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