Tuitt was in the NFL for eight seasons but missed the entirety of his final year while away from the team. He left after his brother was tragically struck and killed by a car during OTAs last offseason. Injuries also took a toll on him during the final years of his tenure. Tuitt was a strong starter throughout his career and posted his best season in 2020, tallying 11 sacks and 10 TFLs. He notched 34.5 sacks and 48 TFLs across 91 games, all of which came in Pittsburgh. 

The issue here isn't the knee injury that sent Tuitt to IR early in the season, but instead his mental state after his brother was struck and killed by a car during OTAs last offseason. "The Steelers never clarified why Tuitt missed the entire season and never spoke about his absence other than to say he was dealing with personal issues, leaving a lot up to speculation. They have said they expect Tuitt to return this year, but nothing more detailed than that, and that’s likely on purpose," Kaboly writes. The Steelers could save $9 million against the cap with a post-June release of Tuitt, which certainly could be on the table if his desire to play remains in question. 

Tuitt did not practice at any point in the offseason so this move doesn't come as much of a surprise. He will miss at least three games, as will running back Anthony McFarland and offensive lineman Zach Banner. They used the three roster spots to sign offensive linemen Rashaad Coward and B.J. Finney and cornerback Arthur Maulet. Tuitt is coming off a career year that saw him hit 11 sacks and 10 TFLs. At 27 years old, Tuitt should still have a few prime years left if he comes off injured reserve unscathed.

The team converted $7.925 million of Tuitt’s 2021 base salary into a signing bonus, creating $6.34 million in immediate cap space. He most recently posted a career-high 11 sacks in his age-27 season with Pittsburgh last year.