NFL Steelers release Washington, Breuner to reach salary limit

Pittsburgh is trying to make cap room to sign free agents and draft picks.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Longtime starters Dewayne Washington and Mark Breuner paid the price for the Pittsburgh Steelers' second-worst season in 34 years.
Washington and Bruener were released Friday after losing their starting jobs last season, when Bruener had to take a pay cut from $2 million to $850,000 just to stay with the team as the No. 3 tight end.
By cutting two of their most tenured players, the Steelers created $1.32 million of salary cap room and now are right at the $80.6 million cap limit. They must make several more moves so they can sign any free agents and their draft class.
Reworking contracts
Those moves could include reworking the contracts of running back Jerome Bettis and linebacker Jason Gildon and cutting running back Amos Zereoue before training camp starts in July.
On a busy Friday, the Steelers also made $628,000 qualifying offers to their six restricted free agents and signed kicker Jeff Reed to a one-year contract worth $380,000. Reed had hip surgery in January but is expected to be ready for minicamp in June.
Receiving the qualifying offers were center Chukky Okobi, guard Keydrick Vincent, defensive end Rodney Bailey, offensive tackle Mathias Nkwenti, defensive tackle Chris Hoke and cornerback Chidi Iwuoma.
By offering the one-year contracts, the Steelers retain the right to match any offer the players receive from another team. If the Steelers choose not to match the offer, they will receive a draft pick in the same round in which the signed player was drafted.
None of the six was chosen above the fourth round, and Vincent, Hoke and Iwuoma would not require compensation because they signed with Pittsburgh as rookie free agents.
Unrestricted free agents
The Steelers also have indicated they want to bring back their four top unrestricted free agents: linebacker Clark Haggans, long snapper Mike Schneck, safety Mike Logan and fullback Dan Kreider.
The departures of Washington and Bruener have been expected since the Steelers went 6-10 last season, matching their worst record in 12 seasons under coach Bill Cowher. They also went 6-10 in 1999; their only worse record since the 1960s was a 5-11 in 1988.
Washington had been the Steelers' starting right cornerback since 1998 before going to the bench midway through the season. He didn't play again until the other cornerback, Chad Scott, was injured and missed the final month.
Washington, 31, said late in the season he knew he probably wouldn't return to Pittsburgh, but still wants to play in the NFL.
The Steelers are no longer responsible for Washington's 2004 salary of $3.75 million, but must count the remaining $2.27 million prorated share of his 2001 signing bonus against the cap.
Good blocking tight end
Bruener, one of the NFL's best blocking tight ends, was scheduled to make $2,395,000 in 2004. But he played little last season after the Steelers shifted their offensive emphasis from the run to the pass, and the Steelers made no move to renegotiate either his or Washington's contract.
Bruener, 31, started 107 of 125 games with Pittsburgh and had the second-longest service on the team behind Gildon (10 years). Washington started 92 of 96 games, missing only the month he was benched last season. He has 29 interceptions in 10 NFL seasons with the Vikings and Steelers.
"Mark and Dewayne have been outstanding players and team leaders," Steelers president Art Rooney II said. "This time of year we face some difficult decisions, but that doesn't change the fact these are class men, and we wish them all the best."