What if Ben doesn't recover fully.

Big Ben 'more determined than ever' to come back

By Around The NFL staff NFL.com
Published: Dec. 25, 2019

Rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges will be counted on this Sunday to quarterback the Steelers back into the postseason, but if all goes according to plan, a familiar face will be under center next fall in Pittsburgh.

Ben Roethlisberger, who has been out since September after undergoing season-ending elbow surgery, took to Twitter on Wednesday to dispel any rumor or speculation that he won't return for the 2020 campaign.

The message, which was accompanied by a Christmas greeting, seems to be in response to an ESPN report earlier this week that Roethlisberger had "some doubt" if he would be able to play football again.

Roethlisberger will turn 38 before the start of the 2020 season and will be coming off the most serious injury of his career, but he and the Steelers have remained steadfast that his career is not over. When Big Ben was placed on injured reserve, he put out a statement that he is "completely determined to battle through this challenge and come back stronger than ever next season." One week later following the completion of his elbow surgery, the team announced that Roethlisberger is "expected to make a full recovery and return to the field for the 2020 NFL season."

Roethlisberger's return -- and a return to the level of play we have come to expect from the two-time Super Bowl champ -- would be a welcome site for the Steel City faithful. The Steelers have rotated between Hodges and Mason Rudolph since Big Ben went down as they have fought to remain in the playoff hunt. The QB play reached its nadir in Week 16 when Hodges was benched for Rudolph following two early interceptions only to re-enter the game after Rudolph suffered a season-ending left shoulder injury.

Hodges and the Steelers need to beat the RGIII-led Ravens this Sunday and get some help to earn a playoff berth.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ig-ben-more-determined-than-ever-to-come-back

 

#2 He'd be wore out by the playoffs. He will also need the four weeks just to make weight.

 

How many were won without cheating in the last 10 years? Take that # and see how many were/were not drafted by their team. Drafting a QB does not = starting in SB.

 

Ben is MT's last security blanket, no Ben will get rid of this clown sooner.

 

big ben said hes coming back bigger and stronger than ever.
thats what we r rollin with.

 

I can't see them risking playing him much in the pre season provided he actually can throw. With his age and injury history it doesn't bode well. It's hard for Fans to come to the realization that the end is near. Sure he doesn't want to go out like he did that's human nature and he is a competitor. But the latest setback is his throwing elbow. Reports are he won't even attempt to throw for 2 months or so. So that looks like the beginning of March. And what if it doesn't respond? That and also his buffet body. I know how hard it is to lose a few pounds being older. And he really doesn't train all that much. Of course I would like to see him come back and perform at a high level. I just feel those days are behind us. I hope i'm wrong. Plus he has a monster contract for 2 years.

The off season is going to be an interesting one. For the whole organization.

 

He's working on that as we speak

 

All he needs now is an O-line, receivers running backs , and tight ends

 

. . . And an OC.

 

But its more was that have been successful that have been higher draft picks than lower especially RECENTLY because if how the importance if the position has increased over the years . Of course history wise you have Montana, brady, russ Wilson, etc.. all low round picks but then you have peyton, elway, aikman, etc. All high picks. But if you look at the nfl landscape over the last 20 years it's been primarily first round guys. Look rn at the top qbs. Brady aside, all mostly first rounders. Rodgers,Mahomes, watson, Lamar, wentz, etc..

 

Some people have been arguing that anything less than a 1st round pick on QB is "wasted".
While using a 1st rounder improves the chances of finding the right QB, that does not mean that a 3rd round (or later) has no chance at all.

What is not being mentioned is the relative value of the pick.
A 1st round pick has the equivalent draft value of 5 or 6 3rd round picks.
Someone posted that their analysis shows about a 30% success rate for 1st QBs versus 10% for 3rd rounders.
If you believe the draft trade value charts, then it is worthwhile to spend lower round picks on QBs, even though most of them do not work out. (Or to put it differently, it is not a guaranteed "wasted" pick.)

 

I think the draft pick currency conversion needs to be made on a positional basis.

Further, the more lower-roun picks a 1st-round pick is worth, the more it should be used. I.e., you’d have to grab 5-6 3rd-round QBs to have the same odds that just one will pan out to the same degree as a 1st-rounder.

 

A year or so ago I made a post suggesting we should take a QB in rounds 5-7 3 times for 3 years. 9 total. Go for physical ability not college stats. See if you can coach one up. If you got a starting QB the low draft choices would be a steal.

That post wasn’t well received.

 

Ben seems to start the season slow from what I remember, but did not check the stats. This year he started out VERY slow and for too long, then eventually got hurt. I would bet he would have snapped out of it, if he didn`t get injured. Had he played the whole year and everything else was the same (we got Minkah), we would already be in the playoffs.

We are in a bad way if Ben is done. It will be a tragic episode in Steeler history if we waste the opportunity of having a Super Bowl worthy defense and the offense is too horrible to capitalize on the chance.

Better pray Ben has one good year left. He does not have to carry the team and force passes anymore and we don`t have to score 30 points just to have a chance to win anymore. The pressure should be off Ben. One key to success IMO would be also finding a bruising running back (that does not get injured). Also would like a reliable TE.

 

I think what people are trying to say is we have proved our scouting department does not know how to scout any qbs that aren't csnt miss 1st ed caliber prospects. They whiff on anyone who is graded below that. They dont find diamonds into he rough like a Russell wilson(he had first rd talent actually he was just considered too short).

 

fixed that for you