Steelers GM Kevin Colbert was able to keep two valuable veteran players on Wednesday by signing them to contract extensions, while simultaneously saving money on the 2014-15 salary cap.
Heath Miller, the 31 year-old TE, comes off a successful rebound season after he missed much of the previous year with a knee injury. He signed a deal that will keep him in Pittsburgh through 2016, lowering his cap hit next season by $3 million. Safety Troy Polamalu, 32, will make $20 million over the next three seasons, and the team was able to lower his cap hit next season by $4.5 million. The team also saved money earlier this week on LB Jason Worilds, who will make just over $9 million in a transition tender deal that saved the team an extra $2.5 million they would have owed him had they used the franchise tag to keep him. The Steelers plan to continue working on a more long-term extension for Worilds, who surpassed rookie Jarvis Jones and veteran LaMarr Woodley on the depth chart last season.
In a busy week, the Steelers also signed CB Will Allen to a one-year deal. More moves are expected to be made in the coming weeks with the NFL free agency officially beginning as of Tuesday, March 11.
