Roethlisberger next year and beyond...

I saw an article a few weeks ago, I'm not sure who the writer was, I believe a local Pittsburgh journalist. Basically it revolved around Pittsburgh's potential salary cap problems with restructuring veterans the last 5-6 years, and on top of it...speculating what will become of Roethlisberger since he's due for a new contract.

Just wondered what everyone's take is on his future. Will they break the bank for him no matter what? Will he take a "hometown discount" (which I believe he's already been doing compared to what QB's without his resume are getting)? While I believe he has a few more good years left, when it comes to the # of hits taken, he's no Brady or Manning. Those guys have played behind lines and have been in offenses where they haven't taken NEARLY the # of hits that Ben has taken. I found this site interesting. Manning's been in the league 6 years longer than Ben, and look at the difference in their sack totals.

I remember watching the 2004 draft live like it was yesterday. When Cleveland passed on Ben at #6, I knew we were going to have a damn legit shot at getting him. I'll never forget them interviewing him live when the phone rang and it was Cowher telling him they were about to take him. I felt like we had hit the lottery and was confident that our franchise was about to change. Unfortunately, I know the end of his career is approaching quicker than any of us care to believe. It's looking like New England made a brilliant move by drafting Garoppolo toward the end of the 2nd round this year. Do we take a high pick on a QB next year or in '16?

 

Ben will be a Cardinal in 2016

 

i would let him play out his last two years contract and then franchise him one year , meanwhile i would look at the draft to replace him ..

 

This sounds like a pretty good idea.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Ben only has 27 regular season games left in a Steelers uniform.

 

Ben isn't going anywhere, Art Rooney already said they would get his contract extension done in the offseason. The salary cap is expected to rise significantly in the next few years, so re-signing Ben won't be a problem. There will be a lot of players coming off the books after this season Ike, Harrison, Kiesel, probably Worilds and Troy. If you guys think this team is inconsistent now even with Ben, they would be much worse if they replaced him with a rookie QB.

 

X2.

If not, I think that he will go somewhere but I really don't think that he will retire a Steeler. The demand will be too high for the Steelers to match on a financial level.

 

Only way he'll be a Cardinal is if he goes to work for the Pope!

 

Well Ben perfected some of the Cardinal Sins already.

 

I'm pretty sure the Rooneys are hell bent on signing Roethlisberger after this off-season. It will bump his pay into the $20 million/year range and continue that for the remainder of this career.

What we do with Roethlisberger is really secondary to what we decide to do with Tomlin and Colbert. The idea of letting this regime dictate a transition into another quarterback is laughable. Colbert's history in evaluating quarterbacks is pathetic and only when our 72-year old owner put his foot down and MADE the Colbert/Cowher regime pick a quarterback did any positives emerge from that position (and likely saved Colbert's job and reputation).

Other than the Roethlisberger story (which everyone knows), you are looking at a GM that somehow thought Tee Martin, Brian St. Pierre, Omar Jacobs, Dennis Dixon and Landry Jones were worthwhile investments.

People here better hope Roethlisberger lasts longer than Tombert because otherwise the idea of disappointing being 8-8 seasons will be laughed at in comparison to 4-12 seasons using scrubs and Colbert's QB choices moving forward.

 

exactly when soon or later Ben will be gone , we should have already change colbert and tomlin .

 

Ben isn't going nowhere unless he wants to which might be a possibility. I do agree though if he does leave it would be the Cardinals.

 

Don't forget Willie Colon will come off the books also. I believe he's on the books for 8 million this year although I could be wrong on the amount.

 

true story!

 

Marcus Mariota. Make it happen next year.

 

I think Ben plays until he is 40 for the Steelers. He is that dam good........

 

Ben isn't going anywhere anytime soon. He will be resigned this offseason for 5 more years which will make him a Steeler until he is 38.

Period.

End of story.

Stop with the useless speculation.

 

We'd better re-sign Ben. Without him, the last two 8-8 seasons would have been 4-12 and 5-11.

Having said that, I'm not sure Ben will finish his career in Pittsburgh. I've got a theory (and it's only a theory so don't get excited) that the Rooneys have not fully forgiven Ben for his indiscretions and are still a little peeved that he humiliated the franchise two off-seasons in a row. I think they'll hold their cards close to the vest until the last minute. Much of it may depend on what happens this season.

 

If he doesn't finish in Pittsburgh it will be because Pittsburgh will hit on a draft pick or FA in the next 5 years, or he wants to play beyond 38 and his skills are in decline. If he can still produce and there isn't a solid replacement waiting, I can see a restructure adding a year or two taking him to 39 or 40 and retirement.