Here are three reasons the Steelers are making a mistake by bringing Roethlisberger back
While it was recently announced that Ben Roethlisberger was set to return for the 2021 season, it may not be the best long-term option for the team. While the future Hall of Famer deserves to go out on his own terms, the team is in quite a precarious position going into the offseason. While the cap savings wouldn’t be a major factor assuming he gets extended instead of retiring, bring back Roethlisberger is still a bad choice. These are the three reasons that the Steelers are making the wrong move by bringing back Roethlisberger.
Risk to him
It is no secret that Roethlisberger is lacking the mobility that he used to possess in his prime. As well, his age has caused him to suffer a wide variety of injuries recently. The road doesn’t get any easier for him, as his offensive line is regressing, and his run game is lacking. No matter the additions that the team makes there this offseason, these groups will still be issues in 2021. He is entering a hostile situation that could lead to him hurting this upcoming season.
Specifically, with the offensive line, Roethlisberger may not be able to finish out the season due to the deterioration that the line will go through. Maurkice Pouncey retired, Alejandro Villanueva is likely gone in free agency, and even a stalwart like David DeCastro seemed to regress. If this line can’t protect Roethlisberger like they have the previous season, he may suffer through an injury-plagued season in 2021.
Limiting the offense
The Steelers were in a great spot to begin a potential rebuild this offseason. The team could have invested in the best players available, retain as much young talent while releasing some of the older ones, and roll with Mason Rudolph with an eye on the quarterbacks in 2022. Now, the team will likely be forced to reach for either offensive line or running back early even if it isn’t the best player available.
Beyond just this offseason, the new-look offense under Matt Canada will have to cater to Roethlisberger’s regressing arm and lacking mobility. Canada employs a system that is predicated on play-action and the ability to escape the pocket, something Roethlisberger has avoided in recent years with the Steelers. Simply put, Roethlisberger isn’t a strong fit for what Canada wants to run, and it will likely limit the potential of this team next year.
Finally, Roethlisberger saw his deep pass efficiency plummet this past season. While this isn’t the end of the world for a receiver like Dionte Johnson, it severely limits the potential of a player like Chase Claypool and James Washington. Both are typical deep threats who would excel with a stronger arm quarterback. Roethlisberger isn’t that right now, so he could limit the output that the receivers have next season.
Slim chances in 2021
All of this doesn’t even consider the fact that the Steelers are set to regress in 2021. No matter who is throwing the ball, the team will lose way too many pieces to both the offense and defense to avoid regression. On the offense, the line will lose quite a few critical pieces while the defense will lose multiple starters. While some of these players already have in-house replacements, others will be replaced by lackluster options.
At this point, it will be surprising if this team makes the playoffs. While Roethlisberger likely makes this team an 8-8 group, it doesn’t matter when he is likely to retire after next year. They will have a mediocre draft pick with little in-season success. As opposed to this, the team could have let Rudolph run the offense. While they may end up losing more games, it could lead to a better future for the team long term.
Even more so, Rudolph could build off his game against the Browns and have a half-decent season. The Steelers won’t likely be competitive naturally, but Rudolph could have still looked good enough to warrant another deal or even the franchise tag. At the very least, the team would have given Rudolph one final chance to show that he can be the franchise quarterback before entering free agency. With Roethlisberger, none of this gets determined as the team caters to him during his final season.
While the story is nice for Roethlisberger to go out on his own terms, it simply isn’t the best move for the steelers. While the team will certainly go through a rough stretch without him as their quarterback, jump-starting that rebuild gives them the best chance of a quick turnaround. Will the Steelers win more games with Roethlisberger? Probably, but it won’t be enough to change the regression the team will suffer through.