Ben Roethlisberger has all but said he is retiring after the 2021 season. Do the Pittsburgh Steelers have a replacement plan already in place?
Ben Roethlisberger has been a trending topic over the past few days. After addressing the media, the Steelers franchise quarterback made it very clear that he is looking at his final days with the team, and Gerry Dulac of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Week 17 against the Browns will likely be Roethlisberger’s final home game of his career.
This isn’t anything that should be too surprising. While it still seems surreal that this could be the end of an era that stretched over 18 years, the Steelers probably have known about this for quite some time and may even have a replacement plan ready to go.
What is the Steelers replacement plan for Ben?
Let’s start with what we know. Despite reportedly having a first-round grade on Mason Rudolph entering the 2018 NFL Draft, the coaching staff clearly doesn’t think as highly of him at this point as they once did. When given the opportunity to impress against one of the league’s worst teams this year, Rudolph fell flat with a 16-point against the Detroit Lions that resulted in an overtime tie.
Still under contract, Rudolph is likely set to be the number two quarterback on Pittsburgh’s roster in 2022. So who will be the starter?
It seems like there’s a decent probability the Steelers will roll with a veteran free agent in this role. Recently, I wrote about three free-agent quarterbacks that fit what Steelers are looking for after Ben Roethlisberger. However, this is likely to only be a temporary fix. Pittsburgh could have their sites set higher.
Could Sam Howell be the QB Steelers are eyeing?
We are still very early in the draft process, but Sam Howell is a player who has been mocked to the Steelers numerous times already and it’s not hard to see why. While many would suggest that Pitt QB Kenny Pickett would be a great fit thanks to his experience, pro-readiness, and familiarity with the city and Heinz Field, there was a report earlier this season that suggested that the team prefers Howell over Pickett.
When you do a deeper dive, it’s easy to see what could attract the Steelers to the UNC quarterback. Sam Howell was a high recruit with terrific three-year production in the ACC. Though he may have taken a slight step back as a passer this season, he showcased remarkable athleticism and ability to move with the football — something Mike Tomlin has stressed the importance of during media sessions this season.
In addition to being a gifted athlete who can take off and run on any given play, Howell has remarkable arm talent with the ability to push the ball down the field with a flick of the wrist or rifle it into a tight window over the middle of the field.
At just 6’1”, Howell is shorter than the quarterbacks the Steelers typically draft, but height doesn’t seem to matter as much in today’s NFL, and he makes up for it by checking nearly every other box Pittsburgh typically looks for. Additionally, he turned just 21 years old a few months back and has arguably the highest ceiling of all the quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
We won’t know for certain if the Steelers already have a plan to place as to which quarterback will replace Ben Roethlisberger, but we have an idea of who they could be targeting in 2022. It will be interesting to see if this is the route they take.