Steelers Salary Cap Update: Cap Space After Herbig, Washington Deals

As the full details of Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington's extensions have come into focus, so has the Pittsburgh Steelers' salary cap situation for the 2026 season and beyond.

Herbig's deal, which is worth $100 million over four years and runs through the 2030 campaign, saw his cap hit for this upcoming campaign jump up to $5.427 million.

Washington, whose contract's total value is $42 million across four years, will carry a cap hit of $3.473 million for the 2026 season, marking a drop of right around $424,000.

Per Over the Cap, the Steelers now have $3.124 million in cap space this year with $356.297 million in total cap liabilities and $305.413 million allotted in "Top 51" space.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Where Does Steelers' Salary Cap Rank in NFL?

Pittsburgh's $3.124 million in remaining cap space is the lowest amount in the NFL. There's a pretty healthy gap between them and the next team, being the Cincinnati Bengals at $7.173 million.

The Steelers likely have a few more extensions on the way with star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, meaning their cap space would fluctuate even further should one or both of those deals get done.

In order to free up additional space for 2026, Pittsburgh could restructure the contracts of T.J. Watt and DK Metcalf, among others, while simultaneously kicking the can down the road with some of the money they're owed.

The organization could also cut or trade Malik Harrison ($4.750 million in savings) and Mason Rudolph ($3 million).

While it's perhaps not likely, an Alex Highsmith trade would also recoup $14.500 million for the Steelers this year, and they'd take on $5.602 million in dead money in that scenario as well.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts after a play during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Future Cap Space Outlook

As of now, Pittsburgh is slated to have $5.554 million in cap space (10th-least in NFL) for the 2027 season as Herbig's cap hit goes up to $25.235 million while Washington's come in at $11.300 million.

Should Porter Jr. net an extension that pays him somewhere in the range of $25 million to $27 million per year or so while Benton gets a new deal in the ballpark of $15 million to $16 million in average annual value, the Steelers' cap situation next year and beyond could theoretically become tougher to navigate.

The good news for the Steelers, though, is that the NFL's cap will almost certainly continue to rise, which would open up more room for the franchise without them having to make any moves.

Furthermore, if Pittsburgh selects a quarterback early in the 2027 NFL Draft, as would appear to be the plan, having its starter at the position on a rookie deal would allow the organization to be more flexible and hand out larger contracts at a higher rate.

While the numbers may not jump off the page, the Steelers remain in a relatively good spot when it comes to their cap space situation moving forward.

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