Steelers Could Make Polarizing Move During 2026 Offseason As Star Defender Is Tabbed A Cut Candidate

The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently preparing for a playoff game, but that doesn't mean that some people don't have one eye on the 2026 offseason and any potential moves the franchise might make. This includes cuts, trades, signings, and whatever prospects the organization might want to pursue in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is being hosted in Pittsburgh. The rest of the 2025 season is of the most importance, but General Manager Omar Khan is certainly already game planning his offseason and what he plans to do to improve his team going into the 2026 season.

Organizations are always looking at ways to move money around and possibilities to free up more cap space so that the franchise has some more flexibility in free agency (or in order to make a certain trade). One strategy to do this is by cutting players and releasing them from their contracts, which often incurs some sort of financial penalty for the team. Cuts are only seen when a player is not living up to his contract, and the financial gymnastics of cutting said player makes sense. OverTheCap kept all of those factors in mind when creating the top 100 possible cut candidates for the 2026 offseason.

This list was made up of players who are due at least $4 million during the 2026 season, but also have not lived up to their current deals according to OverTheCap's evaluation.

There are some teams with as many as seven or nine players on this list, which says a lot about making poor contractual decisions, while also not putting said players in a situation to succeed. The Steelers only have two players on the list, and they are both inside linebackers. It is Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison, who each happen to be former Baltimore Ravens.

Queen signed with the Steelers during the 2024 offseason. He inked a three-year deal worth $41 million, and that deal is the most lucrative deal ever given out to a free agent by the organization. He was an All-Pro during his final season with the Ravens in 2023, and the expectations for Queen were very high after he signed that deal. He hasn't quite lived up to the contract yet, but he has shown flashes and he has proven to be an important leader on Pittsburgh's defense.

The linebacker was ranked 73rd on the list, which should make it seem the likelihood of him being cut isn't too high. However, Queen doesn't have any guarantees written into his contract for the 2026 season. This would allow Pittsburgh to release him whenever the organization felt was necessary throughout the 2026 offseason, and the franchise would not receive any sort of penalty. The organization would just be saving money on the deal, although it would be losing a solid player as well.

Harrison was ranked 45th on the list, and his release seems like a near-guarantee. He also has no guaranteed money in his deal, and the Steelers can find someone to fill his role for cheaper than the near $5 million that he will be owed. The franchise can also rely more on Payton Wilson, who is going to be entering an important year in 2026 as he will be eligible for an extension after the 2026 season is over with.

Steelers Still Need To Find A Quarterback For 2026

A big reason why money might need to be moved around for Pittsburgh during the 2026 offseason is that the quarterback position is still not settled. Aaron Rodgers has a decision to make about his future, and he is also going to be a free agent. Pittsburgh could look to trade for a different veteran, but either way, the organization has gotten away with not committing a ton of money to the quarterback position over the last three years or so. 

That is going to change eventually, which is going to affect the rest of the roster. Time will tell.

What do you think about Queen potentially getting cut? Let us know in the comments below!

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