Ike Taylor Likely to Be Back Next Fall Due to Restructured Deal

Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

It looks like Kevin Colbert and Omar “Salary Cap Wizard” Khan are up to their restructuring ways once again in Pittsburgh.

According to Alan Robinson and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, veteran cornerback Ike Taylor recently had his current contract restructured. Taylor “cap hit” was reduced from close to $9.5 million to $8 million with the move, and the rest of the money he was set to earn this fall will be paid out as a bonus.

By pushing the money elsewhere and freeing up almost $1.4 million in cap space this year, the Steelers’ brass have all but guaranteed that Taylor will be back next fall to play out the final year of his current deal.

While some speculated that Taylor’s large cap-hit could put him in danger of being released before next season, bringing the veteran back next fall for one more season is probably in the team’s best interests.

Although Taylor will be 34 next year, he is still the team’s best and most effective option at a positional group which lacks adequate depth.

Cutting Taylor would make William Gay and Cortez Allen the team’s top two on the depth chart, and Curtis Brown would be the team’s nickelback if they do not acquire anybody through the draft or free agency. So despite the fact that the Steelers will “cap-strapped” next year, losing Taylor would be a huge blow to their secondary.

The move itself is a sensible one, and I will be interested to see what the front office does with the extra cap room over the coming weeks.

Stats & Contract Info. Provided By: ESPN.com, Steelers.com , Spotrac, and Pro Football Reference

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