On February 12, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that quarterback Mitch Trubisky was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to confirming the rumor, the Steelers also said that they had released punter Pressley Harvin III and offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor in addition to Trubisky.
Over the course of six seasons, Okorafor started 59 games for the Steelers, starting 33 of 34 games in 2021–2022. However, Okorafor was benched by the Steelers following Week 8, and he only saw 11 offensive snaps in the final ten games.
From 2021 to 2023, Harvin punted for the Steelers. He was incredibly unreliable, though.
He averaged 43.8 yards per punt overall in 2023 and 39.1 net yards each punt attempt. Compared to his 2022 totals, each of those totals represented losses.
The Steelers were able to release Trubisky, Okorafor, and Harvin, freeing up over $13 million in cap space.
Steelers Remove Former First-Star RT Chukwuma Okorafor
Starting in Week 9, Broderick Jones, a first-round rookie, took Okorafor’s spot in the starting lineup. It wasn’t, however, due to Okorafor’s performance.
On November 2, Okorafor told the media that his benching came about as a result of acting out “in a way he shouldn’t have as a sixth-year veteran.”
In addition, Okorafor—who the Steelers selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft—said he will take each day as it comes and work to get back on the field.
But he was never able to get back into the starting lineup offensively. Okorafor did not play in any of the last eight games for the team.
Jones was more comfortable at left tackle, but in his absence, he started at right tackle and performed admirably. Dan Moore was still playing left tackle.
On January 22, Noah Strackbein of SI.com’s All Steelers pushed the Steelers to locate Okorafor a trade partner as opposed to simply letting him go. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic stated on February 12 that he would have looked into that option as well.
On X, Kaboly stated, “I would have tried to trade Okorafor rather than release him.” (previously Twitter).
Rather than that, the Steelers are just going to move on and save $8.75 million against the salary cap for 2024.
Punter Pressley Harvin III Is Also Released by the Steelers
On February 12, the Steelers also announced a change to the special teams unit, cutting ties with Harvin.
Throughout 2023, the 25-year-old punter was a constant source of frustration, particularly in the early going when field position was crucial for the struggling Steelers offense.
The Steelers finished second-to-last in average yards per punt and 28th in net yards per punt in 2023 with Harvin punting in 15 of 17 games.
With eight touchbacks in 2023, Steelers punters were also tied for third place in the league.
In the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Harvin with the 254th overall pick. In his first two seasons, Harvin was mediocre at best, but during training camp last summer, he defeated Braden Mann in the punter competition.
Harvin averaged 43.7 yards and 39.4 net yards per punt in 47 games with Pittsburgh.
Will the Steelers See Any More Cuts?
The Steelers unlocked about $13 million in new space. After relocation, it won’t be nearly that much, though.
The Steelers Depot X account stated, “I know you will read reports about the Steelers saving nearly $13 million in cap space, but remember, when one player leaves the top 51, another player replaces him within it.”
The Steelers began the offseason over $14.7 million over the salary cap; as of right present, Spotrac estimates that they are about $4.3 million over.
The Steelers would still need to make one or two more moves to avoid being in the negative cap space, even after accounting for the additional space that was excluded following relocation.
Center Mason Cole, cornerback Patrick Peterson, and defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi are among the other players who are eligible for March roster bonuses, according to a report on Steelers Depot on X.
The Steelers may want to retain them through 2024 based on the fact that they were left off of the February 12 cut list. That’s not exactly a given for all three players, though, particularly given that the team needs more cap room.
