will ben stay if.......

we see some signs of hope from these young players that we have added, even if they don't all turn into wins but show promise. we have a lot of young talent that is just getting better or may get better with time. we must remember it's not all about this year. we are building with newer players and newer coaches and i don't think it will all come together in one season but i want signs that they are capable of flashing splash plays. ben just may get another season if so. from receivers to o-linemen, to defense, to RBs, to TE's, there will be a lot of new faces with some talent.

 

I don’t think it would take much to convince Ben to come back in ‘22. He’ll still think he can play, unless it’s undeniably demonstrated that he can’t. He’ll convince himself thst the team is good enough regardless of how well the young talent plays. If he gets the smallest encouragement from Tomlin or Rooney, he’ll return.

 

Ben is not under contract after 2021 and I expect the team to move on at that point for better or worse. I don’t think it’s necessarily his decision.

I think you are right though. If he has a good year and the offence starts to click they may offer him another deal, maybe going year to year like the Saints were doing with Brees at the end.

 

Some people are expecting Ben to show up at camp with an old folk walker. I'm hoping he proves all the skeptics wrong.

I would love to see him end his career on the highest note with a SB victory and SB MVP then hang up those cleats. That's a tall tall task though.

 

It all depends on how the season unfolds.
If it looks like we're building up right, and getting better....I can see him back.
If it looks 2 be going the other way...Well....I can see him retiring.

 

I think it's out of Ben's hands after this year no matter what. He might be a Steeler in '22, but if he is, then it will likely be for substantially less than $5 million.

 

Ben is another year older, physically limited, new line, new coaches, and add another game to the season. Forget about if Ben comes back next year, what are the odd's Ben makes it through this season in one piece? Not saying he can't but I'll be pleasantly surprised if he gets through 2021 and wants to come back next year. Sooner or later, preferably sooner, we have to move on from BB and quit kidding ourselves that he can do better in the playoffs (assuming we get there) than he has the past few times when he was younger.

 

I’m a skeptic. I hope he proves me wrong.

I’m also an engineer and I don’t commonly see old equipment get better with age. It just keeps declining on a fairly regular basis.

 

maybe a vagina. You can't wear them things out. They should make tires from them.

 

Doesn’t mean you don’t think about test driving a newer model? Just think. Don’t actually go to the dealer. Not if you plan to keep the current model.

 

Isn’t it time to move on? 2021 Ben is a stop gap not a long-term solution

 

All players are stop gap 2 a point.
I know Your going 2 say...but QBs are different.
What about Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, or Sam Darnold. Were they anything more than stop gaps for the Teams that spent large money and Draft capital on them.

 

I don't think it will be left up to Ben whether he wants to come back or not.

 

If the year goes well Ben will want to come back and the team will let him. Rooney and Colbert practically gushed to the press with gratitude over Bens magnanimous pay cut. If he wins a SB, he won’t quit, he’ll want to repeat - win 4 like Terry!

Unless he’s hurt or stinks, he’ll want to come back.

There are just two ways home for Charlie: Death or Victory. For Ben, only one applies.

 

Let the retirement tour begin...

 

Only way I'd want Ben to stay another year is if somewhere out there in college football land there is a great QB who is a year away from the draft. Should that be the case I'd hope we really tank two seasons from now.

I need a QB to replace Ben soon because I'll never survive the wait from it took for Bradshaw to get to Ben.

 

I’m not sure the pay cut was Ben’s idea, even if that’s they way they dressed it up in the media. DMR and Colbert both stated after the season that they couldn’t bring him back on the deal he had. I’m not sure how exactly it was communicated or how it played out but I think it was made clear that he needed to take a pay cut or they were going to cut him.

 

I hope this is his last year, no matter how it plays out. Nothing against him, just that its time to get younger at the position. He doesn't have the body type of a Brady or Brees so I think the slope will be heading downward quickly.

 

If Ben can hobble out there in 2022 i think it's possible the Rooneys let him.

 

I think the covid cap was the reason. Many teams dumped guys they would have kept. If the cap was normal I think Ben would have made his coin. They would have eaten so much dead money if they cut him.

 

Yes, they were squeezed but they could have pushed the $5m cut he took in to 2022 if they wanted to. They would have saved $19m if they cut him, his bonus money was due to vest this year regardless, so the dead cap is irrelevant really.

I hope the whole thing shows a bit of a power shift is happening, and that Ben is now playing on their terms, he will have to run the offence that Matt Canada wants, will have to accept some changes to the playbook and audibles system etc. The team and fans won’t accept more of what we saw at the end of last season.

 

I’m all for Ben and the team having the type of season that makes this conversation worth having

 

Maybe not "hobble." But I agree, if he somehow gets through this season healthy, then I think they would have to consider it. But is that even possible? He's going to need all the infinity stones and a new gauntlet to put them in to even have a chance.

But since mac asked the question, might as well answer it.

If he could complete the season without showing the past signs of his age/health, and I'm talking fully rehabbed, live elbow and knees of a 5 year younger Ben, then we're going to have a scary-good offense this season. And if that were to happen, he would have to be part of the conversation for next season, at his current salary. And if he could remain healthy, there's no way the competitor in him lets him walk away, especially with the weapons he would have at his disposal.

 

I still think Ben is one of the better qb's, especially in the AFC North.