The Pittsburgh Steelers have a chance to make a splash in free agency this year. The front office knows this team can’t finish the 2025 season with another early exit from the playoffs and spending big in free agency is one way to solve some of the team’s most glaring needs.

The Steelers have roughly $40 million in salary cap space to work with, according to Over the Cap, but this won’t go far after roster displacement. To maximize the efforts to improve their roster, Pittsburgh could make these five moves to save an additional $36 million in salary cap space heading into free agency.

Cut Preston Smith

No front office has ever had an easier choice than this. We knew that when the Steelers traded for Preston Smith, it was on a one-year rental. The long-time NFL edge rusher has a 2025 cap number of $13.4 million and the front office wouldn’t lose a penny by cutting him loose.

Smith, meanwhile, didn’t even earn a helmet for the Steelers down the stretch or in the playoffs. There’s no chance Smith returns to the team and the Steelers can save $13.4 million with his release.

Cut Larry Ogunjobi

Steelers fans were optimistic that Ogunjobi would give Pittsburgh’s defensive line a boost when he first signed with the team in 2022. After an underwhelming season, the Steelers handed the veteran a three-year, $28.75 million contract during the 2023 offseason. This was a mistake.

Ogunjobi hasn’t come close to playing up to his contract. Now he has a cap number coming his way of over $10.53 million. Additionally, Ogunjobi will get a guaranteed $3 million roster bonus if he’s on the team this year. The Steelers can save $7 million by releasing him while absorbing a $3.533 million dead money hit, but this is what they should do.

Cut Cole Holcomb

The Pittsburgh Steelers likely didn’t keep Cole Holcomb around all year long simply to cut him loose in the 2025 offseason. However, we haven’t seen the veteran linebacker take the field in over a year after suffering a devastating knee injury in Week 9 of the 2023 season.

If Holcomb looks like the same player he was before the injury, there’s a place for him in Pittsburgh. But with the Steelers spending big on Patrick Queen in free agency last year and with the emergence of Payton Wilson, Holcomb’s role could be limited. The Steelers would be wise to save $6 million by releasing Holcomb and use the money saved to re-sign Elandon Roberts—who offers an elite niche role as the downhill hammer in run defense.

Restructure Pat Freiermuth’s contract

This move may not be completely necessary unless the Steelers want additional spending money in free agency, but restructuring Pat Freiermuth’s contract is an option this offseason. By doing so, Pittsburgh could save an additional $7.211 million in cap space for the 2025 offseason—money they could throw back into a free-agent signing.

Of course, restructuring contracts doesn’t come without consequence. Right now, Freiermuth will make no more than $12.885 million in any of the next four years on his deal. However, a restructuring would convert money from his base salary into a prorated bonus and push bigger cap hits into future years.

Cut Dean Lowry

Dean Lowry was a complete non-factor for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2024 season, and at 30 years old, it’s hard to expect him to do much more for this team next season. Lowry barely played and this team needs an overhaul with their interior defensive line depth. It’s not significant money, but Pittsburgh could save $2.5 million by releasing Lowry this offseason.