Going into the NFL offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers were an estimated $25 million over the salary cap. With their moves over the last two days, they're more than halfway towards getting under. The Steelers restructured the contracts of linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley on Thursday, cutting the cap numbers' of both players considerably without making them take pay cuts.
More: Salary Cap Issues - Part 1
Between those two restructures and other moves, the Steelers have cut more than $15 million from their payroll for next season. Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Hines Ward, James Farrior and Larry Foote will all either take pay cuts or be released, while the Steelers will also likely attempt to restructure the contracts of Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu to make up for the amount they're currently spending over the cap.
Both Woodley and Timmons have been key contributors for their entire five-year Steelers careers, and getting both players re-structured in the offseason was a top priority for the team. They will now move on to the more difficult business of what to do with their expensive veterans.
For more on the Steelers' roster moves, head over to Pittsburgh Steelers blog Behind The Steel Curtain.