Time is running out for quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Here are three moves that could help the Pittsburgh Steelers win right away.
It’s no secret that the Steelers are in ‘win now’ mode. Last season, they brought in a pair of seasoned veterans in Mark Barron and Donte Moncrief, and they made Ben Roethlisberger the second-highest paid quarterback in the league in terms of yearly value.
While their veteran signings didn’t exactly pan out the way Pittsburgh wanted them to, there is no question that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert know the situation they are in. The Steelers likely have two years left of Big Ben before the prolific quarterback decides to hang up his cleats for good.
Because of this, the Steelers will be looking to do everything in their power to win now. Here are three moves that can help them do exactly that:
Sign a high-profile guard
Though they were playing without Roethlisberger last year, Pittsburgh’s offensive line just wasn’t good enough – and it’s not that hard to see why. The Steelers possess the oldest starting offensive line unit in the league – averaging over 30 years old.
Ramon Foster is a big part of the problem right now. Though he has been an excellent and underrated player throughout his career, the 34-year old can’t move like he used to. As a result, Pittsburgh’s offensive line ranked 30th in the league in run blocking last year, according to Football Outsiders.
The Steelers can get out of Foster’s contract this year and save $4 million in the process. While Pittsburgh is tight against the cap with just over $1.4 million in cap space, there are no-brainer cuts they can make and restructuring a few players is always a possibility.
A few free agents that come to mind are Darly Williams, Ereck Flowers, and Joe Thuney. If they get the chance to sign one of these players, they could see an instant improvement on the offensive line.