Breaking down the Salary Cap implications from Chris Boswell’s new contract

Following an update to the NFLPA public salary cap report on Wednesday, the new contract numbers for Chris Boswell have finally hit the account and it would appear the extension has cost the Pittsburgh Steelers less than $300,000 in additional cap space in 2018.

Salary cap specialist Ian Whetstone of Steel City Insider was the first with the figures behind Boswell’s new deal, confirming a contract worth $19.72 million over five years that included a $6 million signing bonus. Whetstone is also reporting roster bonuses in 2018 worth $1.295 million, another in 2019 worth $2 million and a third in 2020 worth $1 million. Boswell will also receive base salaries of $705,000 in 2018, $1 million in 2019, $1.375 million in 2020, $3.085 million in 2021 and $3.26 million in 2022.

Originally due to earn $2.914 million under the terms of the restricted free agent tender he signed earlier in the year, Boswell’s new contract will have only used up an extra $286,000 in salary cap space this season. The NFLPA currently lists Pittsburgh as being $2,937,347 under the cap, but that figure does not include a restructure to the contract of Vance McDonald’s that reportedly happened on Tuesday. Taking that move into account, the Steelers should have $5,119,847 in available funds at the time of writing.

To celebrate his new deal, Boswell decide to buy his offensive lineman some personalized luggage and the big guys up front seemed extremely happy with their gifts. As seen in an Instagram video posted by Marcus Gilbert.