02-09-2020, 04:11 PM
Even before his 2019 season ended abruptly as the result of a significant elbow injury, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked tired, defeated and old. Older than he is (37), and older than fellow grizzled quarterbacks like Tom Brady (42) and Drew Brees (41).
Roethlisberger doesn't appear to have a health regimen like Brady's. His career sack rate (6.5 percent) is almost double that of Brees, and higher than the likes of oft-roughed-up quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck.
He's been bruised and battered, and he's less supported from a personnel standpoint now than he was in his prime.
We're working with a small sample from 2018, but before getting hurt two games into the 2019 season, Big Ben was the NFL's third-lowest-rated qualified passer. He attempted 11 deep passes in those two losses to the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, but he completed just one of those 11 throws.
And that wasn't just about the elbow. In 2018, Roethlisberger was one of 23 quarterbacks to attempt 75 or more passes that traveled 15-plus yards, but only he, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Mitchell Trubisky completed fewer than 40 percent of said throws.
Now, a year later, coming off surgery to reattach three tendons in the elbow on his throwing arm, how could anyone expect Roethlisberger to suddenly reverse the downward trajectory of his career? He hasn't been a triple-digit-rated passer since 2014, he hasn't been a Pro Bowler since 2017, and between 2015 and 2018, only Rivers and Jameis Winston threw more interceptions than the two-time Super Bowl champion.
The two-year, $68 million contract extension the Steelers gave Roethlisberger last offseason was a huge mistake. According to Spotrac, even if the team were to trade or release him this offseason, they'd be on the hook for a $25 million salary-cap hit.
But that's a sunk cost now, and there's no reason to pay Roethlisberger anything beyond that if he's not going to help you win championships.
Pittsburgh is a fringe contender, but not exactly because of its quarterback. The defense is loaded with so much talent that the 2019 Steelers almost snuck into the playoffs with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges under center.
There are probably some within the organization, and maybe even some fans, who secretly wish Roethlisberger would retire—a move which would immediately create cap space for a team that is projected by Spotrac to enter the offseason with literally no money to spend
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2875...ce=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral
Roethlisberger doesn't appear to have a health regimen like Brady's. His career sack rate (6.5 percent) is almost double that of Brees, and higher than the likes of oft-roughed-up quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck.
He's been bruised and battered, and he's less supported from a personnel standpoint now than he was in his prime.
And that wasn't just about the elbow. In 2018, Roethlisberger was one of 23 quarterbacks to attempt 75 or more passes that traveled 15-plus yards, but only he, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Mitchell Trubisky completed fewer than 40 percent of said throws.
Now, a year later, coming off surgery to reattach three tendons in the elbow on his throwing arm, how could anyone expect Roethlisberger to suddenly reverse the downward trajectory of his career? He hasn't been a triple-digit-rated passer since 2014, he hasn't been a Pro Bowler since 2017, and between 2015 and 2018, only Rivers and Jameis Winston threw more interceptions than the two-time Super Bowl champion.
The two-year, $68 million contract extension the Steelers gave Roethlisberger last offseason was a huge mistake. According to Spotrac, even if the team were to trade or release him this offseason, they'd be on the hook for a $25 million salary-cap hit.
But that's a sunk cost now, and there's no reason to pay Roethlisberger anything beyond that if he's not going to help you win championships.
Pittsburgh is a fringe contender, but not exactly because of its quarterback. The defense is loaded with so much talent that the 2019 Steelers almost snuck into the playoffs with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges under center.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2875...ce=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral
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