NFL: Due $5.5 million next season, has Willie Colon played his last game as a Steeler?

Could Willie Colon have played his last game as a Steeler?

Colon who is in the second year of a five year, $29 million contract, re-aggravated a knee injury Sunday afternoon vs the San Diego Chargers and is expected to miss the rest of the season, Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette reports.

If Colon is indeed done for the season and goes on injured reserve, it will mark the third straight season that Colon is unable to finish a season. Colon missed the entire 2010 season due to a torn achilles he suffered in OTA’s then played just one game in 2011 after a torn triceps in the season opener that ended his 2011 campaign.

Colon who turns 30 in April, was moved to guard this year and at times looked like one of the premier blocking guards in the game but he was also troubled by holding penalties and inconsisties as a pass blocker at the guard position.

Pittsburgh projects to be $20 million over the salary cap and Colon is due $5.5 million in 2013 and his struggles to stay healthy makes him a possible candidate to be a salary cap casulty this coming off-season.

Cutting Colon would save the Steelers $4.3 million next season if cut after June 1. Asking Colon to take a paycut could be an option the Steelers brass mulls.

Pittsburgh though could look to resign pending unrestricted free agent Ramon Foster and go with a guard combo of Foster and David DeCastro in 2013. Foster is three years younger than Colon and much more durable.