Bob Smizik: Will Ben finish as a Steeler?
Franchise quarterbacks, and Ben Roethlisberger certainly is one, rarely leave the team with which they achieved such status. Teams will go to almost any extreme -- like making themselves salary-cap poor -- to keep a quality quarterback. Which means Ben Roethlisberger should be tied to the Steelers for the foreseeable future.
And maybe not.
The Roethlisberger situation is unusual on two fronts.
* The Steelers, against what had been their custom with starting quarterbacks, did not extend Roethlisberger two years before his contract was to expire, which is after the 2015 season.
* The Steelers, unlike most teams with franchise quarterbacks, do not appear to have a Super Bowl trip in their immediate future.
This has led to talk of: 1) The Steelers trading Roethlisberger; 2) Roethlisberger rejecting a late extension offer and opting for free agency in 2016.
The argument for a trade is that without a Super Bowl in their future, the Steelers should rebuild with the help of draft choices obtained in a Roethlisberger trade. Except, as the Steelers know better than any team, it's very, very hard to get to a Super Bowl without a quality quarterback and those players are hard to find. Because of that, it's difficult to envision a scenario in which the Steelers would trade Roethlisberger.
As for Roethlisberger leaving, that, too, is unlikely, but not nearly as much as it was a year ago. When the Steelers opted not to extend him before this season, they presented Roethlisberger with an opportunity to go elsewhere. And after this season, that might be tempting.
Roethlisberger will be 34 going into the 2016 season. He still figures to have some good years left, but not many. If he wants to win more Super Bowls, it looks like he might have to do that elsewhere. That's not to suggest it can't happen in Pittsburgh, but that it could happen more easily elsewhere.
Roethlisberger has said on many occasions he wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh. He probably meant it -- at the time. But circumstances change. Who would have expected the Steelers to have a defense that looks years from being Super Bowl-ready. Roethlisberger can see that. He can also see that after Antonio Brown the Steelers receiving corps is weak. Is that how he wants to finish his career?
Then there's this: Roethlisberger has a strong, but not overwhelming, Hall of Fame resume. Finishing his career on losing teams could hurt that resume. Adding a Super Bowl or at least strong seasons would enhance it.
If this season plays out poorly, it might be enough to make Roethlisberger think of playing elsewhere. That would mean rejecting the Steelers long-term contract offer. For many pro athletes that is difficult to do. But for Roethlisberger it is less so. For one, he's already earned close to $100 million. His ego might need more money, but his future and that of his children and that of their children is financially secure. For another, beyond a signing bonus, his next contract is not guaranteed. He doesn't have to sign a deal to protect against career-ending injury. There is a risk of playing the final year of his contract in 2015 but it is a risk he can handle more easily than most.
How this all plays out will be greatly determined by what happens in the Steelers final 10 games. If the team continues to struggle and the offense continues to stumble, Roethlisberger might start thinking about a future with another franchise. If the offense starts to click, and it should, that could mean improved play for the team and a brighter outlook for the future.
But as matters stand now, it does not seem out of the question to consider that Roethlisberger might finish his career elsewhere.
First Published October 16, 2014 12:06 AM
Post a Comment for "Bob Smizik: Will Ben finish as a Steeler?"