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The second half of the 2020 season was not one of the best for the Steelers, which has left the group and its followers pissed off. Meta.reviews will inform if Pittsburgh followers ought to anticipate main adjustments.
This virtually seems like the identical query as final 12 months: will Roethlisberger stay the Steelers’ beginning quarterback?
The one distinction is, the circumstances.
Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow in Week 2 of the 2019 season, which required him to go on Injured Reserve and miss the subsequent 14 video games. He spent that point, and the offseason, rehabilitating his harm. Followers and analysts alike pondering if the 38-year-old quarterback might return from such an harm.
These followers have been giddy once they first noticed Large Ben throwing, a tennis ball that’s, throughout his comeback bid. Questions would nonetheless linger into Week 1 of the 2020 season, however Roethlisberger helped spark an 11-0 Steelers begin, placing the veteran passer into potential NFL MVP conversations.
Then all of it went haywire.
The Steelers dropped 4 of their final six video games within the common season behind some awful offensive efforts – the ultimate lack of the 12 months noticed the starters relaxation, together with Roethlisberger, in opposition to the Cleveland Browns in Week 17.
His backup, Mason Rudolph, obtained the beginning – and altered some attitudes about his potential to be the long run Corridor of Famer’s successor.
Then all of it fell aside, once more.
The loss to Cleveland setup a postseason rematch with the Browns, which noticed Cleveland storm out to a 28-0 lead behind a sequence of turnovers which all concerned Large Ben ultimately. It might be the primary time that Roethlisberger had misplaced to the Browns at Heinz Area – beforehand an ideal 13-0.
This prompted questions after the elimination, the place head coach Mike Tomlin was requested if it was time for Pittsburgh to make some adjustments. The Steelers coach replied that he wasn’t going to go away issues the best way they’re now and hope that adjustments would occur on their very own.
If Tomlin needs to alter one thing, then he must transfer ahead with out Roethlisberger because the beginning quarterback. Nevertheless, the coach believes the veteran remains to be able to taking part in his 18th profession season for the Steelers.
When Tomlin was requested immediately about Roethlisberger and his wage, he stated he had no particular thought of the quantities on the payroll right now. That stated, Mike stated he didn’t deny the opportunity of Large Ben’s return.
Nor did Roethlisberger, who expressed his need to return in 2021.
Nearly everyone seems to be effectively conscious of the scenario with the Steelers wage cap. Within the 2021 season, Roethlisberger will rely towards $41.25 million of useless cap area, with greater than half of that already attributed to his signing and roster bonuses.
Slicing Roethlisberger will save the group someplace within the ballpark of $19 million in 2021 – cash that can be utilized to “get even” because the Steelers are additionally near that a lot over the cap presently.
In addition they have numerous impending free brokers who’re all key contributors to the squad. Gamers similar to JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner, Bud Dupree, and Mike Hilton prime the record of potential offseason losses as a result of Steelers lack of money to spend.
This might power Pittsburgh’s hand in the event that they’re in a scenario the place they need to select between retaining Roethlisberger or preserving a steady of younger homegrown expertise.
Ought to the Steelers transfer on, the aforementioned Mason Rudolph will enter the ultimate 12 months of his rookie contract. Rudolph accomplished 56.4% of his passes for 315 yards, two touchdowns and an interception within the last week of the season. He accomplished 62.2% of throws for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 2019.
4 of these picks got here in a single recreation in opposition to Cleveland, the place the offense misplaced Conner, Smith-Schuster, and Diontae Johnson throughout the recreation. (Which completed with Myles Garrett swinging Rudolph’s personal helmet at him.)
The Steelers additionally went out and signed former Washington first spherical decide Dwayne Haskins to a one-year contract. The group will see if they will pluck a few of the expertise that made the previous Ohio State quarterback the seventh general decide of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs’ contract expires at the beginning of the league 12 months and unheralded 2019 hero, and scapegoat, Devlin Hodges, was not renewed as a member of the 2020 apply squad.
It seems that the Steelers are making ready for the top of Ben’s journey with the group, but it surely doesn’t seem right now that 2021 would be the last chapter. As a substitute, the Steelers might have a bigger quarterback downside come 2020 the place Roethlisberger, Rudolph, and Haskins can all turn into free brokers.
By this time, Large Ben shall be approaching age 40 and could also be headed towards retirement. It’s actually a query of whether or not or not that call might be kicked ahead on 12 months – whether it is, the Steelers might want to know by early March.
As for now, it seems the “gunslinger” will nonetheless be the group’s prime possibility going ahead.
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