Steelers Weigh Cutting Jonnu Smith to Free $7M Ahead of March 11 League-Year Deadline
The Pittsburgh Steelers face pressure to trim payroll as the new league year approaches, and one concrete suggestion is to cut jonnu smith to create immediate cap relief. The move would remove a $10 million cap hit, incur $3. 8 million in dead money and yield roughly $7 million in usable salary-cap space.
Jonnu Smith: Production, PFF Grade and Roster Context
Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus has placed Jonnu Smith on a short list of veterans the Steelers should consider releasing, citing diminished output and roster construction. Smith averaged 4. 6 yards after the catch per reception in 2025, the lowest mark of his career, and earned a 46. 8 PFF grade that ranked 74th out of 75 qualified tight ends.
Those metrics underlie the financial calculation. Cutting Smith would convert his $10 million cap figure into $7 million in savings while the team would absorb $3. 8 million as dead money. The presence of Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington on the roster has been highlighted as a factor that reduces the positional need for Smith’s roster spot.
Pittsburgh Cap Room and the March 11 New League Year
With the new league year set to begin on March 11, front-office decisions are accelerating. Executing a cut before that deadline would create immediate flexibility; the $7 million in savings could be redirected to other areas of need identified within the roster. The timing matters because moves made before the league year open influence how cap space is allocated and which free agents or internal upgrades become feasible.
Observers note the Steelers already have multiple roster priorities and some flexibility to pursue free agents. Releasing a veteran with a high cap hit is a straightforward method to open room quickly rather than restructuring contracts or waiting for post-deadline opportunities.
Coaching Changes and Personnel Strategy
Analysts point to coaching turnover as another element that shapes the evaluation of Jonnu Smith’s role. With a new head coach and offensive coordinator coming in and Arthur Smith described as out the door, the offensive fit that justified Smith’s contract has shifted. A change in scheme, combined with low per-play production, is presented as a primary reason the team might opt to part ways and reallocate resources.
That calculus is straightforward: diminished on-field impact plus schematic turnover increases the likelihood that a veteran’s cap burden outweighs his projected contribution under new leadership. Cutting Smith would be an immediate way to prioritize salary-cap flexibility for other positions.
What makes this notable is how clearly the financial math aligns with the football evaluation in public analyses: quantifiable declines in performance, a sizable one-year cap number, and a narrow depth chart at tight end create both motive and mechanism for a salary-cap move as the Steelers shape a roster for the coming season.
Any decision on Jonnu Smith will be part of a broader roster conversation taken in the days ahead, with March 11 functioning as a hard marker for how aggressively the team can pursue alternatives in free agency and the draft.
