Ben Roethlisberger shows why the Steelers should build around him
By Matt Shetler
Once trade rumors get started, they have a hard time slowing down. Especially when they involve a player of the magnitude of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
For the past two weeks Roethlisberger has illustrated the fact that he indeed doesn’t want to be traded and desires to finish his career in Pittsburgh.
Nov 17, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) gestures at the line of scrimmage against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 37-27. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
After what he did on Sunday, the Steelers front office better start listening,
Big Ben was the reason the Steelers stormed back and beat the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He is also the reason why despite all the holes on their roster, the Steelers slim playoff hopes are still alive.
It would be a shame to see the Steelers attempt to unload his contract in the offseason. They should devise a plan to build around Roethlisberger and not without him.
Big Ben has plenty of reasons to be unhappy. Whether it is the fact that Todd Haley is still around or the fact that he continues to lose weapons or the fact that the Steelers offensive line still continues to get him killed, all of the problems around him can be fixed.
Franchise quarterbacks don’t grow on trees and the Steelers need to realize that fact.
Roethlisberger says all the right things. He would leave you to believe that all is well between he and Haley and that very well may be the case. But if things aren’t well, fix the problem. Bringing in an offensive coordinator that is more to his liking makes much more sense than unloading your best player.
Then there’s the fact that the Steelers are 4-2 since their 0-4 start and are in the thick of the AFC wild-card race. If the plan is to unload Big Ben and rebuild, they aren’t on track for a high draft pick. Naturally they would get picks in any Roethlisberger trade, but again it makes more sense to fix the problems around him than roll the dice on a young quarterback right now.
Add it all up and no matter what the cost of his next contract, Roethlisberger is a guy the Steelers won’t be able to replace in the short-term.
His performance against the Lions—in a game they were in extreme danger of losing at halftime—was a reminder that if the Steelers want to retool, they’d better start at other positions.
Simply put, Roethlisberger is still among the NFL’s best signal callers and the Steelers need to build around him.