Yesterday’s retirement announcement by defensive end Stephon Tuitt wasn’t exactly a surprise for the Steelers, but it does create some intrigue along the front wall. Tuitt stepped away after missing last season with a knee injury and due to the loss of his brother in a hit-and-run accident. He would have been paid $9.05 million in the final year of his five-year contract and would have counted close to $14 million against the Steelers’ salary cap.
The retirement leaves Cam Heyward, Tyson Alualu, and Chris Wormley as the most experienced starters on the defensive line, but Heyward is 33, Alualu is 35 and coming off missing almost all of last season with a broken ankle, and Wormley has a bad back. The team is high on last year’s fifth-round draft pick, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and this year’s third rounder, Demarvin Leal.
The Steelers have reached a contract agreement with free agent linebacker Tuzar Skipper, according to Skipper’s Twitter account. He wrote, “412 I’M BACK!!!!!!!!”, and his agency also reported the signing. Skipper made the Steelers in 2019 and has hung around the NFL since, with the Giants, Titans, and Falcons.
The final day of Organized Team Activities is today, with mandatory minicamp scheduled to start next Tuesday.
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