NFL Steelers to cut players, salaries

Pittsburgh is creating salary-cap room for free agents and rookies.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A lot of those big-money contracts the Pittsburgh Steelers gave out as they moved into Heinz Field in 2001 are being restructured or reduced following their second-worst season in 34 years.
As they move to get under the NFL's $80.5 million salary cap by the March 3 deadline, they've already restructured two contracts and may rework several more.
They also appear ready to waive three former starters: cornerback Dewayne Washington, tight end Mark Bruener and running back Amos Zereoue.
Former stars Jerome Bettis and Jason Gildon also are being pushed to take pay cuts. Between them, Bettis ($3,707,000) and Gildon ($3.65 million) are due to make nearly $7.4 million this year.
Clearing cap room
The Steelers, coming off a belly flop of a 6-10 season that followed two consecutive deep advances into the playoffs, are clearing cap room to sign free agents and the rookies they will draft in April.
As of last week, they were an estimated $4.5 million over the cap, but have since reduced that considerably. They will get under the cap if they cut Washington and Bruener by next week.
So far, director of football operations Kevin Colbert and coach Bill Cowher have not commented on the moves, but the Steelers have:
URestructured offensive tackle Marvel Smith's contract, giving him a $1,715,000 signing bonus and cutting his base salary to the minimum $535,000. The Steelers saved $1.8 million of cap room by spreading the signing bonus over the remaining five years of Smith's contract.
UReworked linebacker Joey Porter's contract, giving him a $2,215,000 signing bonus and a $535,000 salary, rather than a $2.75 million salary. Under the deal, first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers freed up $1.66 million of cap room by shifting Porter's money from salary to a signing bonus that will be spread over remaining four years of his contract.
UCleared the way to waive Washington, Bruener and Zereoue by not moving to redo their contracts. None of the three fits into the Steelers' plans for next season.
Washington's status
The Steelers would be freed of Washington's $3.75 million salary if they release him, but would have to count the remaining $2.27 million prorated share of his 2001 signing bonus against the cap.
Zereoue is due to make $2.2 million as part of a deal that runs through 2005. Bruener is scheduled to make $2,395,000, but was forced to cut his salary from $2 million to $800,000 last season just to stay with the team as a backup.
Bettis, who ran well during the final two months of last season after starting the year on the bench, said in December he was agreeable to discussing a restructured contract. He has three years left on his $30 million contract, but the Steelers are likely to offer him only a fraction of the $13.35 million he is due to make through 2006.
Other options
Gildon, a former All-Pro outside linebacker coming off two mediocre seasons, has a cap value of $4,948,000 that the Steelers also want to trim considerably. They could also free up additional cap room, if necessary, by offering a Smith- or Porter-like restructuring to defensive end Aaron Smith, who is to make $3.55 million this season.
The Steelers may need the additional cap room if they bring back some of their own free agents, including linebacker Clark Haggans, safety Mike Logan and fullback Dan Kreider. All will become unrestricted free agents next week if they don't re-sign with Pittsburgh.