Here are the reasons Roethlisberger returning is more of a negative for the Steelers
While the reports are coming in that Ben Roethlisberger is set to return for another season with the Steelers, it shouldn’t necessarily be a cause for excitement. While Roethlisberger has undeniable talent, the team is in a bad position to do much with him at quarterback. Even without much behind him on the roster, his return may not be the best move long term.
Here are the reasons his return may not be best for the Steelers.
A note
When saying that Roethlisberger may not be the best thing for the team, it doesn’t mean that he has been a bad player for the Steelers. He is clearly a future Hall of Famer is arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play for the team. That said, father time is always in effect, and Roethlisberger is set to be one of the oldest players if he returns next year. His regression has been tough to watch, but it also shouldn’t have been unexpected.
As well, this isn’t an argument that the team would be better off next year without Roethlisberger. While Mason Rudolph showed some signs of improvement, he still pales in comparison to what Roethlisberger provides. As will be explained below, this team is more than likely going to regress next year. This makes next year a good time to retool this team even if they struggle at the quarterback position. This isn’t against Roethlisberger as a player, it is against his fit in the offense next season.
Cap Hit
To get the obvious out of the way first, Roethlisberger has a massive cap hit of over 41 million next season. Now, his retiring doesn’t equate to that cap hit being instantly alleviated. Of that 41 million, only 19 million of it is an actual salary in 2021. While that is still a considerable chunk of change, having that money freed up could go a long way in preserving some of the talent that is set to be a free agent this offseason.
If Roethlisberger was off the roster and that money would be taken off of the cap, it would allow the Steelers to likely be cap compliant from the get-go once the new salary cap is set up. Projections right now have the cap being roughly what it was last season, which would mean the Steelers would only be over by about 10 million. Roethlisberger’s 19 million would instantly get the Steelers to a better spot with the cap, which would mean less talent would have to be cut in order to free up space.
As well, this would allow the team more flexibility to retain free agents and sign outside players. While plenty of talent will still leave, the cap space provided could likely secure Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, and maybe even JuJu Smith-Schuster. As well, the team could explore some cheap fill-ins during free agency with the money freed up. Yes, the quarterback position would take a hit, but the young talent retained would be a huge win for the team.
Long term, this would be more beneficial than one more year with Roethlisberger. While the team will likely be less competitive without him, the talent they could retain would be young enough to make the transition to the next quarterback for the Steelers. Losing Roethlisberger kills any shot of a good next year, but retaining some of the pending free agents, as a result, sets the team up for future success with their next quarterback.
Begin the rebuild
While it seems silly to suggest that the Steelers need to rebuild after winning the AFC North and posting a 12-win season, the writing is on the wall for this team. With an aging offensive unit to go along with a soon to be retired Roethlisberger, this team isn’t on stable ground right now. Throw in the long list of pending free agents, and this team certainly looks like it could go from first to worst next season. If Roethlisberger hangs it up, it could get the rebuild ramped up.
As stated above, the team wouldn’t lose all of its young talent that is at risk to leave this offseason. That won’t lead to a successful 2021 though, as the team would then be reliant on Mason Rudolph to lead this team. That said, having a down year could be just what this team needs to have a quick rebound. The team will still be plenty talented, so a short rebuild could go a long way in getting back to the winning ways.
The Steelers could dedicate this offseason to getting younger on the offensive line, rebuilding the rushing attack, and sprinkling some youth where needed on defense. Next year, with a huge amount of cap space and even more picks that are likely 10-15 spots higher than the team will pick this offseason, the team can find its quarterback and try to fill in any remaining holes on the roster.
Again, losing Roethlisberger won’t make the Steelers better in 2021, but it would allow them to enter the rebuild phase one year sooner. The 2022 season will have its lumps of course, but that will all be for the greater good of this team. Use this offseason to get the team ready and then allow Rudolph to lead this team. More than likely, that will leave the team picking high (if it doesn’t that will be a good problem to have). The Steelers can retain their young veterans, draft some new faces, and be in a good spot to rebound after the next offseason.
Defensive longevity
The Steelers have come a long way on defense in recent years. After the stalwarts of the 2000s retired, this defense was a constant laughing point in the league. It took a plethora of investments, but the Steelers now have one of the best units in the league. That said, if the team wants to maximize this star-studded defense, they will need to get their offense back to a better form.
Every year that passes now is one that wastes what should be a Super Bowl winning defense. Older stars like Cameron Heyward inch toward regression and retirement while younger stars like T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick get new contracts that cause their cap hits to skyrocket. Realistically, unless this defense continues to be invested in, this group has about three years before it could be in some trouble.
That makes having a quick turnaround a must. No matter who is quarterback next year, the Steelers will see regression from their offense. The amount of talent that is set to leave is great, and a reduction in talent will lead to a worse output. But, if the team could then be set up to get their quarterback next offseason with a good youthful core around him, the one down season could lead to a quick return to the top of the AFC.
If the Steelers are fielding a competitive offense with a new quarterback by 2022, this defense should still mostly be intact for a few years. This gives them the best chance to make a Super Bowl push sooner than later. If the team retains Roethlisberger, they will likely have a better record in 2021, but it won’t likely be enough to win a Super Bowl. The team should embrace one bad season in order to be in a better spot to build this team for the future.
Again, losing Roethlisberger will result in a worse Steelers team in 2021. That said, if he is off the team, the Steelers will be able to retain more of their free agents, begin what could be a short rebuild, and have a competitive offense again before the defense becomes a question mark. While it would be hard to see him go, Roethlisberger not being on the roster next year could be best for the future of the Steelers.