Steelers granted $4 million dollars in roll-over salary cap space in 2018

The Pittsburgh Steelers are hard up against the NFL Salary Cap numbers which are being projected for the new league year, but with news of the increased cap in 2018 came hope of salary cap flexibility.

On Monday, the team got more good news when the NFLPA credited the Steelers with $4 million in roll over cap space, which the team can use in the upcoming league year.

According to figures released by the NFL Players Association on Monday, the Steelers have a carryover amount of $4,041,060, which ranks No. 20 among the 32 teams.

For those wanting a bit more clarification on these numbers, and how they come about, this from Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The salary cap is expected to rise from $168 million to about $179 million, according to a Pro Football Talk report.

With the carryover amount, the Steelers are about $6.5 million under the projected salary cap, according to overthecap.com.

The players association figures had the Steelers spending $165,073,198 in 2017, which was 98.85 percent of the salary cap. The 2018 season is the second in a four-year rolling cycle for minimum cash spending. Each team must spend a cash minimum of 89 percent of the salary cap, and the league-wide minimum must be 95 percent.

Either way you slice it, it looks as if the Steelers will have a bit more breathing room next season, when it comes to what they can, and cannot, afford via free agency.