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The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburg Steelers released veteran center Mason Cole on Friday, creating nearly $5 million in salary cap space.
Cole had one year left on the three-year, $15.75 million deal he signed in spring of 2022. He had issues snapping in shotgun formation and clearly would have cost more than the Steelers were willing to pay him in 2024. Now they will head into free agency and the NFL draft looking for a starter at the position.
Cole started all 34 regular-season games for Pittsburgh over the last two seasons, as well as the team's wild-card game in 2023. He spent three years in Arizona after the Cardinals drafted him in the third round in 2018 and spent one years in Minnesota.
He was scheduled to count $6.27 million against the cap. By cutting him now, the Steelers will save $4.75 million.
More money
NEW YORK -- The NFL's salary cap for 2024 will be $255.4 million, up a record $30.6 million from last year.
The cap number has gone from $198.2 million in 2020 to $182.5 million in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic. It increased to $208.2 million in 2022 and $224.8 million last year.
"The unprecedented $30 million increase per club in this year's salary cap is the result of the full repayment of all amounts advanced by the clubs and deferred by the players during the Covid pandemic as well as an extraordinary increase in media revenue for the 2024 season," the league said in a statement.
Teams are heading into next week's NFL combine and preparing for the free agency period to open March 13 with an opportunity to spend more freely.
The increased cap total could impact how teams use the franchise tag.
The 15-day window to apply the tag to impending free agents began on Feb. 20.
Coaches added
HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce is counting on two experienced former head coaches to help guide him.
The Raiders announced their full staff Friday. Former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is the assistant head coach and ex-Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin is the senior offensive assistant.
Lewis led the Bengals to seven playoff berths in going 131-122-3 from 2003-18. Philbin went 24-28 as the Dolphins coach from 2012-15 and was 2-2 as the Green Bay Packers interim coach in 2018.
Also notable, Scott Turner was retained as the pass game coordinator. Before joining the Raiders last season, he spent three years as the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator.
Goodbye to 2
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins are releasing defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerback Xavien Howard in a move that will clear up $30 million in cap space, according to published reports from several news outlets.
Ogbah, who signed with the Dolphins in 2020, was two seasons into a four-year extension worth $65 million.
Howard, the lontest tenured Dolphin who was drafted first overall in 2016, is a two-time All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler who still had three years left on his contract.
Ogbah spent four seasons with the Dolphins, recording 24 sacks, one interception, 19 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 27 starts.
He led the team in sacks in 2021, but his 2022 campaign was cut short because of a season-ending triceps injury. Ogbah appeared in 15 games last season with just one start.