Defensive end Aaron Smith another veteran falling prey to Pittsburgh Steelers salary-cap issue - NFL News
Pittsburgh Steelers have yet again asserted their intentions of sparing no player in the way of their austerity drive to contain their salary expenses, even if he is their veteran receiver, Hines Ward, or defensive end, Aaron Smith.
A couple of days after the management informed Ward of their decision to cut him loose from the contract, bringing an end to his 14-year loyal association with the team, they asked Smith to start packing up.
Aaron arrived at Pittsburgh in 1999, a year after Ward’s arrival at the franchise, and is ready to leave with him after having spent about 13 years at the headquarters.
The defensive end still had a year left in his latest deal and was due to make $2.109 million this year.
Unfortunately, the last couple of years have been too tough for Smith as he spent most of the time on the sidelines, while nursing multiple injuries.
He was able to play only 11 games during the span of two years, 2009 and 2010, and participated in merely four games in the 2011-2012 National Football League (NFL) season.
The injuries forced him on the Injured Reserve (IR) list for most part of last season, and now he has finally been made redundant by Steelers.
No one from the team or around the player has offered any comments on the waiver or on the prospective future awaiting Smith.
It is unlikely for him to call it quits and he, just like Ward, might be exploring an opportunity of finding another suitor from the NFL.
His injury problems that have remained his main worry for the last three years, might affect the chances of his move elsewhere as no team is going to consider him amidst the lingering questions about his health and fitness.
Aaron’s release was well anticipated, considering the highly paid veterans to be the frontline target of Steelers’ campaign of reducing down their salary expenses.
Recently, in the past few weeks, the team has waived off four players, tendered one, and a few more are expected to be next on Steelers’ hit-list, in the near future.
So far, the team has been reported to have saved approximately $4 million a year on each player, and is closer to meeting its target of levelling its expenses with the salary cap.
Steelers also eyed some saving from the tender offer of Mike Wallace, who in case of getting a franchise tag, could have cost them more.
Furthermore, they will save as much as $8 million from the release of its wide receiver, Hines Ward, expected to keep on receiving high wage in the pending two years of his stay with the team.
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