The Pittsburgh Steelers have opened a little more salary cap space with another roster cut. The Steelers announced on March 7 that they have released safety Keanu Neal.
The Steelers cut Neal with a failed physical designation.
Neal finished the 2023 regular season on injured reserve because of a rib ailment. He missed the team’s final nine games including the playoffs.
The 2023 season was Neal’s first with the Steelers. He signed a 2-year, $4.25 million contract with Pittsburgh last spring.
In 2024, Neal was set to count as a $2.25 million cap hit. Before top 51 roster displacement, the Steelers will save a little less than $1.5 million with Neal’s release.
“Keanu Neal was set to earn $2.25 million in 2025 so the Steelers will save that in salary cap space minus top 51 roster displacement, which right now appears to be $795K,” Steelers Depot’s X (formerly Twitter) account wrote. “$460K dead money charge for Neal in 2024.”
In nine games with the Steelers last season, Neal posted 50 combined tackles, including 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass defenses and an interception. His interception came in the end zone with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers during Week 10.
Neal’s interception helped seal a 23-19 victory. However, Neal suffered his season-ending rib injury on the play.
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