The contract details for the latest free agent signing the Pittsburgh Steelers have made this offseason finally hit the NFLPA contract database on Saturday, revealing another deal that pushes the majority of the salary cap charge into the final year of the contract.
Steelers salary cap expert Ian Whetstone was the first with figures once again, reporting base salaries for linebacker Mark Barron of $1 million in 2019 and $4.5 million in 2020, as well as a signing bonus worth $5.75 million and a roster bonus worth $750,000 next year. In total, a deal worth $12 million over two years.
Barron also has a $4.5M base salary next year and, if how they've structured other recent two-year contracts is any indication, likely a $750,000 roster bonus due early in the 2020 league year.
— Ian Whetstone (@IanWhetstone) March 23, 2019
In terms of cash flow, Barron will receive $6.75 million this year and $5.25 million in his final year under contract, but will have salary cap hits of $3.875 million and $8.125 million in the respective seasons.
2019
- Base salary - $1 million
- Prorated signing bonus - $2.875 million
- Salary cap charge - $3.875 million
2020
- Base salary - $4.5 million
- Roster bonus - $750,000
- Prorated signing bonus - $2.875 million
- Salary cap hit - $8.125 million
Given the size of his cap charge in 2020, and the potential savings of $5.25 million associated with his release, Baron has few guarantees he will see the second year of this deal if the Steelers are not happy with his production in 2019. Pittsburgh would also incur $2.875 million in dead money charges if he was let go next year.
As per the NFLPA public salary cap report, the Steelers currently have $3,137,799 in available salary cap space as of Saturday morning, a figure that includes all of the signings the team has made this offseason. The expected release of Morgan Burnett next week should create at least an additional $3,633,332 in salary cap space, and as much as $5.05 million if he is designated a June 2 release.