Steelers release veteran CB Ahkello Witherspoon, save $4 million in cap space
The Pittsburgh Steelers released Ahkello Witherspoon on Wednesday, per reports, saving $4 million in salary-cap space.
A veteran cornerback, Witherspoon appeared in 13 games for the Steelers over the past two seasons. But after playing every down for the first 2½ games of 2022, Witherspoon suffered a hamstring injury during a loss at the Cleveland Browns. He only played one half of one game the remainder of the season.
The Steelers drafted two cornerbacks last month — Joey Porter Jr. in the second round and Croy Trice in Round 7 — and re-signed veteran reserve James Pierre. All play outside cornerback, a position Witherspoon mans.
The NFL Network first reported Witherspoon’s release, which was not entirely surprising.
Acquired for a fifth-round pick at the end of the 2021 training camp, Witherspoon struggled at the beginning of his Steelers’ tenure. Among the four defensive snaps he played over the first nine games of the season was getting beat for a 61-yard Henry Ruggs touchdown reception during a Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
But by the end of the 2021 season, Witherspoon had become the Steelers’ best cornerback. He was good enough that the Steelers let Joe Haden remain unsigned, and they re-signed Witherspoon via a two-year, $8 million contract.
But his only action over the final 14 games of this past season was a forgetful first half of an Oct. 30 blowout loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. According to Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon that day was targeted nine times in 21 coverage snaps, allowing seven catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
AJ BROWN. THREE FIRST HALF TOUCHDOWNS.
????: #PITvsPHI on CBS
????: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/kHi66m0LGX pic.twitter.com/Ih3iKlG2D1— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2022
Witherspoon was benched at halftime and never appeared in a game for the Steelers again. He eventually was placed on injured reserve but returned to practice for the final two weeks of the season and declared himself healthy.
The Steelers lost Cameron Sutton in free agency but signed veteran Patrick Peterson to join holdover Levi Wallace, newly-signed nickel Chandon Sullivan and Porter, Trice and Pierre at cornerback.
Witherspoon’s release leaves $1.48 million in “dead money” under the Steelers salary cap.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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