The Pittsburgh Steelers released cornerback Cortez Allen after five seasons, the team announced Friday.
Allen, a fourth-round pick in 2011, finished his career in Pittsburgh with 150 tackles, 34 passes defended and six interceptions, but he missed 15 games with a knee injury last year and was benched in 2014 after struggling with injuries and poor play.
ESPN reported in March that the Steelers asked Allen to take a pay cut from his due salary of $4.4 million. Allen wasn't amenable to such a cut, so the team was prepared to move on as a result.