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PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger is the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers proper now, normal supervisor Kevin Colbert stated in a Wednesday information convention.
Past that, although, Colbert was lukewarm in his evaluation of the franchise quarterback’s future with the group.
“As we sit right here at the moment, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Colbert stated. “… He reiterated that to us that he needs to proceed to play, and we advised him fairly frankly we’ve got to have a look at this present scenario. … With Ben’s present cap quantity, some adjustment should be made.”
Group proprietor and CEO Artwork Rooney II advised reporters final month that the soon-to-be 39-year-old quarterback’s $41.2 million cap hit for the 2021 season was untenable. Later the identical day, Roethlisberger advised The Athletic he was willing to work with the team and stated he did not “care ’bout my pay in any respect this yr!”
Colbert positioned emphasis on discovering an answer that will profit each the group and the quarterback it drafted eleventh general in 2004.
“Ben Roethlisberger is on the group,” the final supervisor stated Wednesday. “Ben Roethlisberger did lots of actually good issues final yr. We anticipate that he might nonetheless do some good issues going ahead.
“Hopefully there is a means that we are able to strive to determine and do what’s finest for the group and do what’s finest for Ben. Hopefully he’ll be capable to see that and really feel the identical means we do. There’s lots of work that must be executed, not solely with Ben, with the entire unrestricted free-agent class and our complete cap scenario as effectively.”
Colbert stated the evaluation of Roethlisberger’s future with the group begins with the monetary scenario for the 2021 season. If Roethlisberger retires or is reduce, he would nonetheless rely $22.25 million towards the cap. If the group opts to provide him an extension and convert his base wage and roster bonus right into a signing bonus unfold out over a number of years, probably the most the group can cut back his cap hit to is $27.125 million. Although it is not going, Roethlisberger might additionally choose to play for the minimal and take a pay reduce of $17.925 million, however his cap hit would nonetheless be $23.325 million.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to considerably decrease the wage cap — although it will possibly’t drop beneath $175 million — the Steelers are firmly in cap hassle. ESPN’s roster administration system at the moment tasks the Steelers to be over the cap by greater than $22 million. The group should be cap-compliant by the beginning of the brand new league yr on March 17.
“We have been all dealt a loss by way of the pandemic, and we’ve got to take care of that accordingly. And we’ll,” Colbert stated. “It isn’t distinctive to us. Two-thirds of the league is dealing with related points. How that every one comes collectively within the subsequent few weeks, we’ll proceed to have a look at it.
“It’s firstly financially as a result of we’ve got to be in compliance,” he added. “Then we’re making guesstimates as to what we are able to do to place one of the best group collectively for our sake and for Ben’s sake. What sort of group can he anticipate being round him if we resolve we are able to transfer ahead collectively.”
When Roethlisberger met with Steelers brass shortly after the season, the group agreed they’d met once more “down the highway” as soon as another components like accessible free brokers and cap quantity grew to become extra clear. Colbert declined to say particularly if he has met with Roethlisberger since or when he’ll meet once more to type out the longer term.
“It is an ongoing course of,” Colbert stated. “It simply does not contain him. It entails the gamers round him. I am positive he’ll wish to see what kind of group we are able to preserve collectively underneath our present scenario. Hopefully we are able to all make the proper changes to maintain the group collectively as a lot as doable.”
Along with determining Roethlisberger’s scenario, Colbert admitted that re-signing any of the group’s 19 unrestricted free brokers, reminiscent of broad receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, given the cap constraints will probably be tough. However earlier than they will actually consider free-agency choices, the Steelers should decide the way forward for its quarterback.
“Going again on Ben’s 2020, he actually did do some particular issues,” Colbert stated. “At first of the yr, we talked about watching what he was doing as a result of he was performing some unimaginable feats as we have been constructing that 11-0 document. A whole lot of that was him performing in essential occasions in video games. Down the stretch, he did not play nearly as good, however we did not play nearly as good round him.
“Can he nonetheless do some particular issues? Completely. Did he try this to his expectations? I feel he’d be the primary to inform you, no. Ben cares about one factor: He cares about successful a Tremendous Bowl. He is no completely different than us. When it does not occur, he is by no means going to be glad. So hopefully no matter group we provide you with in 2021, that will probably be a group that once more we’re not speaking about dropping a first-round playoff sport.”
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