Inside linebacker Mark Barron, backup linebacker Anthony Chickillo and backup wide receiver Johnny Holton were the first casualties as the Pittsburgh Steelers try to get under the salary cap by the start of the NFL calendar year.

All three players were released Monday, providing $11.075 million in salary cap relief for the Steelers, who have the least amount of cap room among the 32 teams. The Steelers saved another $4 million when guard Ramon Foster announced his retirement.

Cutting Barron, who was signed in free agency last season, will save $5.25 million. The Steelers saved $5 million by releasing Chickillo and another $825,000 by parting ways with Holton.

Teams must be compliant with the $198.2 million salary cap by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Steelers also restructured the contract of tight end Vance McDonald, converting his $5.5 million base salary into a signing bonus that can be spread over two seasons, per Adam Caplan of SiriusXM. Other candidates to restructure contracts include quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, guard David DeCastro and defensive end Stephon Tuitt, among others.

Barron, 30, finished fourth on the team with 82 tackles in 2019 after signing a two-year, $12 million contract with the Steelers in free agency. He played in 15 games, starting nine, with three sacks and one interception.

It is the second year in a row the Steelers cut a starting inside linebacker after signing him in free agency the previous season. In 2019, they released Jon Bostic after one season.

Holton had three catches for 21 yards, playing primarily on special teams where he had four solo and four assisted tackles. Holton had three starts while playing in all 16 games. The savings by cutting Holton will be negligible since the rookie minimum salary for 2020 is $610,000.

Chickillo, a former sixth-round draft pick, spent five seasons with the Steelers. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Steelers last offseason to avoid free agency, but much of the deal was backloaded.

Chickillo played in 11 games last season, missing five because of foot and rib injuries. He had 11 tackles and one-half sack in addition to four tackles on special teams.

Chickillo was the most experienced backup at his position. The other outside linebackers on the roster are Ola Adeniyi and Tuzar Skipper.

Chickillo made headlines off the field when he was arrested in October because of a domestic incident involving his girlfriend at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Chickillo faced three misdemeanor charges, which were withdrawn two weeks later when his girlfriend decided not to pursue charges.

Chickillo was placed on the exempt list by the NFL but faced no other discipline.

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