Report: Pittsburgh Steelers release cornerback Cortez Allen

The Pittsburgh Steelers have several questions to be answered in the secondary moving forward. One of those said questions was what might become of Cortez Allen and his contract that had him making more than five million dollars a year from the team going through the 2018 NFL season despite being injured for most of his career in Pittsburgh.

That question has just been answered:

Steelers release Cortez Allen.

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) April 15, 2016

Allen being released was an expected move coming into the 2016 offseason as his lack of production despite signing a five year deal in 2014 was one of the bigger disappointments for a team that has shown a great deal of improvement in the past two seasons.

The Steelers have had well-documented issues with their secondary and a few years ago, Cortez Allen was thought to be one of the potential players that would provide a resolution. However with injuries, lack of production when on the field and no clear light at the end of the tunnel to see when his play might turn around Pittsburgh made an almost needed decision to release their fourth round selection from the 2011 NFL Draft.

Allen's release leaves a solid amount of dead money for the Steelers' salary cap to hold onto during the 2016-2017 NFL calendar, but the blow lessens significantly by the next season. The dead money left over from Allen's contract will impact the Steelers' salary cap in the amounts of:

$4.05 million in 2016-2017;

$2.7 million in 2017-2018; and

$1.35 million in 2018-2019.

For those who might be confused about the term, "dead money," this is the amount of money which the Steelers will not be able to retain towards their salary cap for a contract which guaranteed a player money whom has been released by a team.

Meanwhile it does mean that the Steelers do receive extra cap space in the amounts of:

$1.7 million in 2016-2017;

$2.95 million in 2017-2018; and

$4.3 million in 2018-2019.

Allen had flashes of potential in 2013, but ultimately never panned out the way that many optimists had hoped. This move leaves the Steelers with only two known commodities at the cornerback position in William Gay and Ross Cockrell, the latter of which is only signed through the end of this upcoming season and two second year players in Senquez Golson and Doran Grant.