The Pittsburgh Steelers converted most of the 2018 base salary of injured linebacker Ryan Shazier into a signing bonus, reports ESPN.com's Field Yates.
Shazier is set to $8.718 million in base salary and because the money will be converted into a bonus, he will receive $8.26 million of his salary immediately.
Shazier started the first 12 games of the 2016 season for the Steelers and suffered a spinal injury in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals after trying to make a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Josh Malone.
He underwent spinal stabilization surgery and will not play in the 2018 season after being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.